After several attempts in vain ...

I tried several times to post to my blog, each time meeting with some sort of computer failure.

Good news ! Monday, the new Auto Tech teacher started at the school. My student population dropped from 61 to 38. I know it doesn't seem like much to have only 36 students in the course of a day, but it is, if you think it through. 3 of my classes consist of 4, 4, and 4 students. The remaining 2 classes, both first year students, are 12 and 14 students. Still, 12 and 14 don't seem like a huge number, until you consider that they are in the shop at least 50% of the time, working around power tools and some darned expensive equipment. Add to that, that the HS sends us the kids they can't control, for the most part.

This makes enormous sense. We can't control him in a classroom. Let's send him to a shop with power tools. Of course, it does make sense. He/She is out of their hair for 90 minutes.

Still, it is easier to teach 12 than it is to teach 12 and watch 17.

This week has been a mostly good one. Come on, I teach HS students. A mostly good week is a great week by anyone else's comparison.

It is hump day. All downhill from here. Let's see if I can coast it on in.

I am impressed by my Bravada. We needed to move a fridge from the old place we lived. We needed to do it today. We didn't have a truck we could borrow on such short notice (well, probably did, but didn't try too hard,) so we (meaning me and the mouse in my pocket) decided to use the Bravada. For those that don't know, a Bravada is an SUV. It is the fancy version of the Chevy Blazer. Anyway, Tammy took the Bravada and with the help of Jordan and Sierra, put the fridge in the back of the SUV. They laid down the two second row seats, and were even able to close the gate. As I said, I was impressed.

Now, we have to unload it. Awaiting the Chris. You know the type. Strong back, weak mind. Perfect for such projects.

Later y'all

This is after much receding 

Flooding on our street 

holey moley, batman

Another week has passed. It has been busy.

Still no Automotive teacher, and last report was that we wont have one on Monday, either. So, I am still pulling double duty, mostly. I did have a day or two this week when I wasn't doing the double. They had a sub in. My thinking (flawed, I am sure) is that, if we are not paying a teacher, why can't we afford a sub ? We did have a sub for a month before we hired an IT teacher.

Wednesday was a trip. We had a field trip scheduled. We were taking 80 kids to a Construction Fair in Shelbyville, KY. Tuesday afternoon, an hour before the end of the school day, we get an email from the high school and 34 sophomores will not be allowed to go because of a PLAN test. The thing on Wednesday was going to take 30 minutes and it was going to knock the students out of the whole days trip. I called a counselor and got her to approve them going. Then they called back and said the Principal nixed the whole idea .. No Sophomores.

We prepared to go, sans nearly half the group. The phone rings and it is Robyn (one of the counselors) and the Sophs are almost done. If we can wait 10 minutes, they can go. We wait. Then I have 74 students going with me and 2 others supervisors. It was an interesting trip.

It made for a split up week.

But .. Friday is finally here.

It was a tough day. Still, I made it. I am here. I am resolved to go on.

I am looking forward to getting out tomorrow. Dinner with friends. Singing. Fun Fun

Yes, I know

It has been a week since I last posted.

It has been a busy week. School is insane. Literally !

My principal called my classroom and asked when we were going to be done with the new classroom we are building. It is slated to be done in December. She wants it done in two weeks. Add to this that I still have an extra (can't take into the shop) 28 students. I have 2 classes of first year students, 11 and 14 in them, that are not at the level to help, that they should be, because I cannot take them into the shop.

Auto Teacher # 3 is now precariously dangling, about to drop off the list, maybe. Here is the run down:
#1 .. Took the job .. Had to give notice .. Then decided, since his daughter was sick, that he wouldn't take the job, even after Herculean efforts to get his teaching certificate reactivated.

#2 .. Great candidate .. Going through the process .. Suddenly, there is a marijuana conviction in 1990 .. Mistakes of a young man .. Disqualified him for a teaching certificate ..

#3 .. Great candidate .. Took the compass test (comprehensive readin, writin, & 'rithmatic test) .. Passed it .. Took the NOCTI (National Occupational competency Testing Institute) to see if he knew what he knew .. FAILED it ! .. retaking it .. We will see

My 2 week, can you do me a favor, has now turned into 5 weeks .. I have insisted that they get someone to take the class next week.

There is good news about Tammy's car .. I wont steal her thunder though .. Go to her blog (www.troubleshandful.blogspot.com) to find out what that news is .. She should have some news there this afternoon.

We are off this morning to a yard sale of one of my students .. Then to WallyWorld for some phoneline parts .. Then to crawl under the house to add phone lines .. Oh joy! All I can say is: It is good to have children of house crawling age in the house !

more to follow .. I will try not to be so remiss in my blogdom duties ..

Nine-eleven

Five years have passed since the Twin Tower Terrorist attacks. It seems as far as a lifetime ago and as close as yesterday. I have heard people recalling it for days. There have been special ceremonies and marked moments of silence. We observed a moment of silence in school today at 8:47 am, the time the first plane hit the tower.

Lots of people have talked about how 'nine-eleven' changed their lives. I have taken inventory to see how much that day changed my life.

In the immediate, it added sadness for our nations loss, and joy for our nations unity. It prompted prayers and discussions. It fueled our hunger for news (mine began in High School in 1975 when our class on current events scoured Newsweek ever week and I fell in love with the news.) It caused my heart to swell in the devastation and in the heroic efforts of those involved. It even prompted a letter to the editor.

Now, five years out, I look back at those incredulous days.

I can give the short answer. Of course, it changed me. However, it didn't have any lasting profound effect on my life. I still get up and go to work, as always. I still love my children like before. I don't worry anymore than before. I feel we are as safe as we ever were and are ever going to be. I don't fly on any regular basis, therefore the security measures at the airports haven't affected me. I don't dwell on the events of that day, any more than I dwell on Pearl Harbor, D-Day, or any other national day of heroism or attack. They are there to remind me, and around that day, I think about what happened and how it changed our country. I know nine-eleven changed our country as a whole, but don't see the over time long lasting effects it had on my life. I know they are there. I know, in ways I may never know, this day has changed things in my life. However, to look at my life and say, this day, or that day, or any day, made a dramatic change, is difficult.

Change doesn't come in sweeping swoops. It comes in small things. It comes in daily things. Nine-eleven may have been the catalyst for many changes, but I think they were inevitable changes. They were going to be ushered in slowly. The Gov't was going to implement them secretly anyway. Nine-eleven gave them the chutzpah to do it on the 11 o'clock news.

Please don't take this as any attempt to make less of what happened and to make light of any of the lives lost on that day. They were all parts of someone's family, someone's circle of friends. Someone's co-workers, and so forth. I feel for everyone of them. I would give each of them their loved ones back if I could. I am sure they feel just like the mothers and fathers of our sons of Vietnam. Every war has it's casualties. Again, not to diminish the lives lost. This war was brought to our shores uninvited. It came to a new generation. Vietnam was over there. Korea was over there. The Gulf War was over there. For the first time in a long time, Americans were dying, in America.

The long and the short of it is this:
Nine-eleven changed us all. Some it changed individually. Some it changed in the collective way. The sorrow passes. The outrage dies down. The passion wanes. The pain diminishes. When it all gone, only the real changes remain.

Some are just as arrogant. Some are just as mean. Some are just as sweet. Some are just as helpful. ... And a few are different ... Different on an inside level ... That is the slow sweeping change .. The change that lasts .. The change that brings us closer to who we were always meant to be ..

And that makes us all different .. So .. Yes, Nine-eleven changed me.

Without incident

The weekend came and went without incident.

The waterbed is up. We actually slept in our bed last night for the first time in 2 weeks. Wahooooo. The sleeper sofa we have is a quest bed, for sure. It sleeps ok for a night or two, but after three nights, it is way uncomfortable. It was designed with the Ben Franklin motto (fish and quests stink after three days) in mind. If we had quests sleeping on that sofa, they would be looking for a motel room after three night. We toyed with the idea several times of tossing the kids out of their beds on alternating night and letting them have the sofa and us sleeping in their beds, but we did the 'bite the bullet' parent thing.

Last night was great. Sleeping in the bed. It was quiet. Much quieter than I am used to after so long in the big city. In one evening, at our old place, more people drove by our house than live in Mt Sterling. More than once we have looked at our watches to check the time and were amazed at how early it was. It was quiet. It was dark. It had to be ... What !?!?!? 8:30 !! No way !!

It is a change I will gladly get used too.

The rest of the weekend was quiet as well. We didn't venture out to do any singing or other evening activities. It was just a much needed quiet weekend at home.

Yep, I could get used to this. Of course, eventually, it will get old and we will be heading out on occasion to do the singing thing, but I am not rushing that at all.

And your weekend ?

front porch .. waiting for new porch people 

the angel hutch mantle 

Dining room .. in progress 

quarter side shot 

front ..early Sunday morning 

OMIGosh

I can't believe it is Friday!

I was looking at blogs and took a gander at mine and realized I hadn't blogged in 4 days. That is so unlike me. Of course, it is unlike me to be so overwhelmed with work. Two nights this week, I have taken tests home to grade and never got to them. Moving in is time consuming. Tammy and I have a great deal of respect for each others opinions, and, while we think alike about most things, the things we think differently about are just as important. One of those areas where we might clash is in setting up the cosmetics of the house. You know .. The picture hanging and such.

Now, TJ can put her knick knacks and glassware just about anywhere she wants and I am fine with it. I am equally as sure that her choice in the placement of the pics is just as fine. She, however, likes to get my opinion before committing to any permanent hanging. I appreciate that. It does slow it down a bit though.

Then there is the living room and our bedroom. For now, they are the same room. Our waterbed mattress was damaged in moving. I ordered a new one. Until it came, which was yesterday afternoon, we were consigned to sleeping on the pull out sleeper sofa in the living room. Tonight, we put the mattress in and fill it up. Give it a day and a night to heat up, and we will be sleeping on our H2O flotation bed. That will be so sweet. I think a sleeper sofa is designed to chase guests away. They sleep comfortable enough to toss and turn, but still sleep. However, after 3 nights (longer than any guest should stay) they can be murder. The tossing and turning increases exponentially. So, by the third night, you barely sleep. I have a very comfy recliner, but it doesn't fit two. Soon ... Sweet sleep.

Mid term grades are due this week. I still have my two week automotive class. That two weeks has stretched into 5 weeks now. It is getting more and more detrimental to both classes. It seems that I am the only person that sees this as a continuing problem, besides the students themselves.

Let's see ... The rest is the same. I am still threatening a haircut. It is still getting longer. The cookout was a blast. The gazebo is up. Slowly, things are coming together. Chris has court today. It won't resolve anything. It is just time consuming.

The weekend promises to be busy. I'll try to stay in touch.

Whew !!

What a whirlwind. The weekend finally arrived. It has been a good weekend so far. The highlights:
Friday was a try to stay in night. We had plans for Saturday. We (briefly) considered driving to Carlisle to pick up the loaner moving van to have it here in case we had time on Saturday to move some things. The problem with that was that we really didn't have time to move anything on Saturday because of previous commitments. If we had the truck, however, we would try to make use of it. That would make Saturday a day from Hades. Like I said, it was a brief thought.

Saturday, we met friends that drove in from Chicago for lunch. Retro-Girl & Dark came for a visit. Retro is from Lexington for the most part, even if she was a transplant from Ohio so many years ago. Dark is from Canada but worked here and became one of Kentucky's native sons. It was great to see them for lunch. We were joined by Dwayne and Tina (mutual friends) and Brandy and her brood (being Cy, adopted Belle, Fallon the felon, and Cadence.) It was a great time at Buffalo Wild Wings, eating, playing trivia, and just fellowshipping.

We left there for a stop by the old house for packing and moving, even without the big truck. We didn't make Tucker's BD party, but did join his parents, C & R, later for a surprise birthday thing for C. It was at our favorite Karaoke spot, Todd's Karaoke. Retro, Dark, Dwayne, and Tina were there as well. We were also joined by friends, Sandra, Sandra's mom Sandra, and Jack. There was singing, drinking, and dancing.

We left Todd's around 10:30 and stopped by the 11th Frame Lounge to see another set of friends. Then, it was off to the Hacienda.

Sunday started around 9 AM. We got special permission for Chris to be on our old street to help move. This required calling Pre-trial Services every hour. We also alerted Metro to be aware in case the "Tadpole" called to report Chris. We loaded, and loaded, and loaded. We got most everything out that is coming out .. and coming here. Anything else, is coming out .. To the street.

We got home with the load and unloaded in time to collapse for am hour. Then, it was off to return the graciously loaned truck. While returning the truck, we bought an entertainment center for the living room. I know, we just unloaded 3 truckloads of furniture and stuff this week and here we are, adding to that amount. Go figure.

It is finally late. We have a cookout planned for tomorrow. Time to grab some z's

Later all ..

And something of my own

it is hard to imagine the full sense of the pain
imagine one death ..
see the family taken in sorrow with the same suddenness of the death
no time to prepare, as if anyone could really be prepared for death
see the sorrow magnified by the friends and acquaintances
if possible, boil it down into one pill, that will catch in a communities throat
then take that un-swallow-able pill
multiply it by the other 48 passengers on that flight
feel the sorrow spread like a fog
it is a sorrow so deep that it escapes the families and friends
it grabs the heart of a nation
strangers sit on edge listening for news
flags are flown at half
an unexpected unpredictable chill follows the fog
our hearts cry out in an anguish that fears to escape our lips
our tears become our prayers
as we silently lift up the families of the fallen
once again, tragedy has forgone our differences
it has linked our hands one more time
we will rush to make some sense of the senseless
we will try to celebrate the lives lived
with the same heart that breaks for their loss
healing must begin in the strength of the mighty
and be passed to the hearts of the weakened
we will bind the wounds
and apply the balm
then ...
we will live another day

Ron Simpson, Jr.
August 31, 2006
To the families forever linked by 5191

Written by one of my students .. used with permission

In Remembrance of Flight 5191

I know that it is not easy

I struggle with every word

It’s hard to think of what’s going on

As I know everyone has heard.

These families have been shaken

They’ve lost ones that they loved

But I know they’re all looking down

On us from above.

Words seem so useless

I wish there was more I could do

Lord, help these families

They need us but they need you.

I catch myself every day,

Trying not to cry,

I can’t explain how much it hurts

Not knowing that was the last goodbye.

Although we have lost them,

They’re not gone for good,

Try to think of the happy times,

As you know, they all would.

Time can only factor,

What has happened in the past,

Tell yourself you love them,

And that, your love will last.

Kenny Johnson

August 31, 2006

Moving .. and Lockdown !!

We spent the weekend moving into the new house. There was some missed communications that cost us a few hours of moving time on Saturday, but we still moved a lot. A friend loaned me a closed 15 foot Chevy 3500 moving truck. We filled it to the rim on Saturday and unloaded. Then, we started again on Sunday. We had a lot less help for a while. Help finally showed up. I placed a few phone calls and most everyone that was willing to help was working. Donnie D came by on Sunday to help us with the couch. This couch is a killer. It is a sleeper sofa that will not fit comfortably thru most 36 inch doors. The entry way into the living room of where we lived was only 34 inches. We used a tire tool to get it in. It took a hack saw, a removed door, and lots of pushing to get it out. Fortunately, the new place has double doors in the front.

School came way too early this morning. Auto students are still frustrated. One or two in particular are determined to cause trouble in the name of boredom and the afore mentioned frustration. I am sure, however, they would cause trouble without the boredom and frustration. This just happens to be the reason 'de jour'.

Then it happened. A few minutes into fourth block. The speaker crackles. One of the Asst. Principals at GRC announces a Level One Lockdown. My students inform me that there has been a mercury spill at GRC. It was in the Ag Dept. All students coming to the ATC walk thru that area to get to here.

Lockdown is funny. The students are suddenly dying of thirst. They are suddenly floating their bladders. They become quite claustrophobic. Some get antsy, some get sleepy. The professional troublemakers among the group see this as a prime opportunity to misbehave with some seeming justifiable cause.

I will try to fill everyone in this evening.

Closed

Yes, it is true ... We closed on the house.

Let's have a moment of revered silence for a process that has finally stopped clinging to life, refusing to be put to bed for the final time.

OK, moment's over, let the party begin ! ! ! ! ! !

Now, by party, I mean, Moving !

We closed yesterday at 3:30. I had a NCCER certification class in the morning/afternoon. Originally, I thought the class was all day. I called the class presenter to check, so I would know what time to tell the Mortgage Broker to schedule the closing. She informed me it was a 4 hour class, which began at 9:30 am. This should have put me out of it by 1:30 pm. That would give me enough time to get to the house for the final walk-through and then on to the closing.

OK, it should. However, since nothing has worked the way it should on this thing so far, why should this be any different?

Since only 4 hours was going to be used for the class, I needed to fill out a 'leave slip' for the remaining time of the day. The school secretary/time keeper told me to put it down as annual leave. I did, and presented it to the Principal for signing. She told me I could not take annual leave while students were in school (per our employee handbook) even though this had been done up until this point. She said I would have to use sick time. The only rub there is that our last staff meeting included a discussion about requiring DR notes for sick day absences. [This is the result of one or more teacher using a lot of sick days.] (we accrue one sick day, and one annual leave day per month for the 11 months we are in school. I have just over 17 days of combined leave available to me. Obviously, I am not one of the frequent missers.)

K told me she would approve it this time but would require a DR's note for subsequent absences. Now, I am not looking for special privileges, but a consideration for all the things I do, might be a nice touch. I am pulling double duty to the detriment of my first and second period Electrical students with the intrusion of (now) 18 Automotive students in our class. Hiring a substitute would be a plan.

I am handling, teaching two different trades, managing the co-op as co-op director, and being the Skills USA advisor. The two classes combined are about 70 students over the course of the day. Add to this the over 80 students involved with Skills, and the dozen or so wanting to co-op, and I have my hands full. Then trying to work my closing around so that I do not have to miss any work, and it can become frustrating.

Still, I have managed to remain my usual smiling cordial self, mostly.

I did tell K that she could approve or not approve the time off, or write it up any way she decided, but I was taking off all day. She had already gotten a substitute for the whole day. So, she could approve my time off as annual leave, or she could write it up as time off without pay, didn't matter to me, I was closing on the house, with or without being paid for it. Don't get me wrong, I understand her job and her choice. She is a new principal and her boss is trying to make changes in our school in areas he perceives as problem areas. He does this by making them issues the he constantly brings up.

(He was interim principal while we were without between agent J's leaving and agent K's arrival. He would come to me and tell me we needed to get my numbers up. My program was brand new. It was in it's first full year. He brought this up every day, like I was supposed to mount a big white horse and ride to the High School and drag conquered students back down to take Electricity. He came up with no effective solutions, but only pointed to the problem daily. I am sure this is his technique with K as well. She is feeling the pressure of those over her and some perceived nonsupport of some of her hirelings.)

BUT .... We closed.

We have a house.

Monday, all of these recurring problems return, minus the worry about closing (it is replaced by the worry of paying the mortgage .. Just kidding.) The computer will be dismantled and reassembled, so, I can't say with any certainty, that you will hear much from us this weekend.

So, let me just say, one more time ... We got the house ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Raz-a-frz-a-braz-a-racker continued

Ok .. If you are a regular reader of either Tammy's or my blog, then you know we are trying to buy a house. It has been one headache after another. Probably 6 months or better ago, we found the house we liked. I remember snow on the ground when we looked at it.
We decided we liked it and began the process about financing. There were a few hiccups there with a phantom foreclosure on my credit, that never happened. It took much paperwork to get that cleared.

Then, there were the several extended closing dates. Most of these were the mortgage company's inability to communicate about exactly what they needed. They also seem to misplace faxes. Regardless, we still persevered.

Then we get a package from the bank about our loan, the closing costs were doubled and the interest rate increased. Hell no!

We talked with our broker and others, even getting an offer to close in ten days with a cheaper interest rate by going FHA. (he FHA angle wouldn't work because of the type of heating in the house. )

Our original broker got serious at the prospect of losing the loan after all the work they did and scraped the fluff away, and presented a bare bones, cut the cost, closing.

This worked.

Still dealing with extra kids, my Principal's version of 'shit runs downhill', and a wavering closing date.

We have set the closing date several times and watched careen on by, laughing maniacally at us on the side.

Raz-a-fraz-a-braz-a-racker

More to follow ....

Whewwwwww !!

Friday !!!!

Finally it is Friday. The extra 30 or so students is showing on me. Not that another 30 electrical students would be bad, but these students are not actually mine. The State is dragging it's feet about hiring a new automotive teacher. It is a quagmire. All the applicants were interviewed. All were liked. All would make a good teacher. BUT .... Each one had some small thing that didn't line up to the States requirements. Some were just minimal and the School is trying to get those fixed. The first one fixed is hired.

The problem lies, in that even when the State makes up it's mind, it will still be 2 weeks until the new teacher gets into the classroom. Most of the Auto students are getting frustrated (with good reason.) The rub is, that while they are frustrated, it is I that catches their anger. They get antsy. They get bored, because my class, as exciting as it is, is not automotive, which they signed up for. That makes it difficult for my students and them.

The strain of being 2 teachers short is even affecting our principal. She is running a bit on the ragged side. That strain is also passed on to the teachers. We are getting it from both sides. I am beginning to fell like a boob in a mammogram. I am getting pressure on both sides and feel like a pancake.

So ... I am glad it is finally Friday. That doesn't mean that Monday will be any better, but it will be after a 2 day break.

There is movement on the house buying front. I will report as I find anything out.

The pic the Lexington Legends gave me .. with the ticket (with my name on it) added 

Beautiful Songbird 

LoveBirds 

The Silverheaded Warbler 

Hitting the ground running

School is back in session. Wednesday was the first day with students.

My classroom is set up to handle 14 students comfortably. With the Auto students that are hanging in my class until we hire a new Auto teacher, I have over 30 in my first period. That drops to 28 in my second period. Then third block is a slight breather with only 8, followed by 20 in fourth, and then finishing with 6 in fifth.

Fortunately, I am teaching on safety for the first week and a half. That is benefitial to both classes. It has been rather hectic though. There are new rules and some on the returning students are bucking against it. Oh, well, life is a B. Get over it.

All in all they are a good group, but in a group of that size it only takes one or two to mess it up. Believe me, some of thses guys have very little compunction about behaving. It is much more fun to stir it up. My Principal tells me I have to be very hard at the first (and I agree) but, in a week or so, thses guys will have a new teacher, and they will start all over again with the pushing the limits. Oh, to be young and uncaring once more. lol.

Time is short around here. Students will be arriving shortly. I hope to post more this weekend.

Y'all have a good one.

Wowser ...

It is hard to believe that I have been quiet for almost a week. It has been an eventful few days though.

First ... Let me say that last night was monumental. I was scared nearly to death. I sang the National Anthem at a lexingtonlegends Ball game. It was a great experience. When I went in at 5:45 for my sound check and practice, the young lady that directed me told me to stand in the circle just outside the path from third base to home base and to look up at the 1300 booth. It dawned on me then, that the game, and my singing of the anthem were going to be on the radio. The feed the butterflies in my stomach a health helping of miracle grow. Still, I managed to warble through the practice run. I was practicing being nervous.

As instructed (Teachers can follow instructions) I returned to the area at 6:45 to wait. There were some people that had won opportunities to throw out ceremonial first pitches. Then the young lady told me, when they began announcing the Legends line-up, at player 5 or 6, I was to walk out to the box and wait to be introduced. Walking to the singing spot woke up any remaining butterflies that might have been sleeping.

I waited ... And then, the announcer announced, "Will everyone please stand and remove your hats, while Ron Simpson sings our National Anthem." The 40 to 50 that came to see me whooped and hollered. I waved to my family (20 of the bunch) and proceeded to sing, A capella, the Star Spangled Banner. I was one scared puppy.

After I was done, there was an ovation (which is normal for everyone I am sure.) I got a chuckle, because a friend told me that I would probably get a standing ovation. It never dawned on me that he would be right because I forgot that they would all be standing for the Anthem anyway.

Several people told me I did great. I thanked them. One older lady came out of the concession to tell me that I had a powerful voice. I swear, I was red.

We stayed until the 5th inning. As we were leaving, we walked past an area under a tent like, where folks could eat. A man stopped me and asked if I was Simpson. I told him I was. I worked nearly 30 years in construction and was assistant pastor of a church for many years during that time. I have met and talked with thousands and thousands of people. I figured he was someone that had met me somewhere. No, he wanted to tell me that my rendition was the best he had ever heard. I was flabbergasted. Needless to say, I can no longer tell Tammy that I am not much of a singer. Not that I am bragging, please don't get that impression. I am one of hundreds of thousands of people in this world that can carry a tune. Still, my five minutes in the sun were quite nice.

Had I known, that my performance was televised on the jumbo-tron, I would have been all that much more scared. LOL.

Oh yeah, The Legends beat the Columbus Catfish by a score of 2 to 1.

The house is still at a standstill. More paperwork required. Why is it, that everytime someone tells you that you only need one more piece of paperwork, that one piece never satisfies what they need. They say, well, I needed that one to proceed until I need another piece.

Oh yeah, Red, my daughter did record the event, I will get a copy to you, or put it online, if i can ..

Love/Hate

It is difficult to separate strong emotions. The strongest, and possibly, most fragile emotion is love. Every day we grapple with love and the extensions of maintaining it. The people we love are, on any given day, apt to anger us, disappoint us, disillusion us, irritate us, and generally cause us all manner of consternation.

One of the kids around here has a saying that she uses frequently. She says, “You can’t help who you love.” I have to agree. You cannot always select the people you love in your life. You don’t get the option of picking your parents. You don’t get your choice of siblings. Sometimes, you don’t even get the luxury of choosing the people with whom you fall in love. However, you do have a choice of the people you allow to hurt you.

If a relationship with someone you love is detrimental to your physical, emotional, or mental well-being, you have to make the choice to stay away from that person. That can happen in marriages, where one partner is abusive. It can happen in love relationship under the same circumstances. It can happen between parents and children. It can be on either side. It can happen between siblings as well.

There may be something in one or both of the participants that makes it impossible for them to co-exist in the same area. It doesn’t even have to be a failing on one side or both. It can just be something as simple as life choices. Something makes it impossible for one to have a personal daily relationship with someone they love.

The difficulty comes when we try to reconcile what our head knows and what our heart feels. Our head knows it is not healthy for us to be around this person. Our heart tells us of our love for that person and yearns to be in contact. It is never easy.

It is easier if we convince ourselves that we are angry with them. It is easier if we make them a villain (and sometimes they are.) Unfortunately, some days the mind gets quiet, and the heart screams the louder. We are left with the age-old quandary. “How can I hate someone I love?”

We have to be able to leave certain parts of ourselves out of the equation. We have to heart-love them and keep our distance with our mind. We have to compartmentalize it. Talking about it doesn’t make it easier. I have felt it in my heart. I have seen it in my friends. I have read it in the musing of fellow blog writers. The heart yearns. The mind warns. The soul laments. Then, we deal with the pulling.

I have found, when dealing with those issues, it is best to keep it simple. Do not delve into old issues, no matter how tempting it is to resolve them. Some things will not be resolved. Some things will never have complete closure. There will always be things in your life, that the only closure you will get, is the sound of you closing the door, on your side. Ignore the snide remarks that may arise. Ignore the cleverly (or not so cleverly) veiled references to past hurts. This is just part of the pettiness of the person with whom you are dealing. Make peace where you can, and leave the rest to the ages to settle. (My dad used to say, “charge it to the dust and let the rain settle it.”)

I look at it like this:

My daughters used to argue over some of the most inane issues (well, inane to me.) I told them once (probably much more than once, bit at least once), It doesn’t matter if your sister thinks the moon is made of green cheese. It does not hurt her to believe it. It doesn’t hurt you for her to believe it. It doesn’t matter. Some issues between those we love/hate are like that as well. (I am not talking about issues dealing with life and death that may contain vital life saving info.) So what if they think they were right. So what if they die thinking you were wrong. It isn’t worth the stress it will cause you to argue over petty issues. (I know, they are not really petty, but imagine them in the grand scheme. Is it going to damn or save you if the issue isn’t cleared up?)

Love what you love about them and leave the rest to the dust. Protect your heart and mind where it needs it. Take care of you. Let them take care of them.

Just my side of the coin ….

Back to work

The 06-07 school year has begun for me.

Today I am back in the classroom. The AC is still out. Today is to be the hottest day of the summer here. The high is to be 96°. My classroom is a room built upstairs in my shop. All the heat rises to fill my room. It is stiflingly hot here. Now, when I say the AC isn’t working, it is like this: There is a window type unit in the wall, venting into a small storage area that is closed off. The unit works, sorta. It does blow air, and sometimes, rarely, but sometimes, that air is cool. Sitting at my desk, I get these alternating cool and warm movements of air. The warm air is simply the air returned back to the room that the AC takes in.

Note: the way an AC unit works. It does not cool the air. It un-heats it. True. The AC unit takes in warm air and removes the heat from it. It returns the air with the heat removed, to the area. The then un-heated air mixes with the heated air and effectively lowers the temperature of the room, house, building, etc..

My AC unit sometimes removes the heat, and sometimes doesn’t remove the heat. It doesn’t make the room hotter, it just doesn’t make it cooler either. There is a slight comfort (term used loosely here) zone at my desk because it is right beside the unit. Any more than 3 feet away from the desk and it is stiflingly hot once again. I have not checked the temp up here, as it is best not to know. It is one of those things. It doesn’t seem as hot until someone tells you it is 100°'s where you are. Suddenly you are sweating and dying of thirst.

Here is the problem. While there is work to be done at my desk, there is abundantly more work to be done away from my desk. There are tables to be moved, chairs to be stacked, floors to be swept and mopped, and other furniture to be rearranged. The Maintenance Dept assures me that my new unit is on the way and should be installed this week.

The first day with students is August 8th. It is ok if I am hot. It is not ok if 20 students are roasting in a room.

On another tangent, 6 days until I sing the National Anthem at the Lexington Legends Baseball game. The Columbus Catfish will be in town. I am expecting about 30 friends to be there for the event. Did I say nervous?

Well, between the heat, the air, and my hair, it is time for me to close. I will be back ranting, raving, and rambling, later.

Closing ... oops .. not closing

Ok .. Today was supposed to be our closing day.

One of the things that has irked me all along this process is the 'prying out' information out of the mortgage company. Well, we were scheduled for closing today. Yesterday, My RE agent finally got hold of the new guy taking care of the mortgage (old guy is on vacation.)

One of the things the appraisal turned up was a leaking drain pipe in the basement. We knew about it. The home inspection revealed it. It was on the sheet of things to be fixed by the seller. It was agreed on. I told the mortgage guy this and, by his instruction, faxed him a copy of the agreement to fix it. Yesterday, my RE agent was told that we needed a statement where the pipe was fixed. WHAT ???? That information was never disclosed to us. The underwriters cannot proceed until that is done.

That is being fixed this weekend. Our closing should be done by next Friday. That is the weekend before the week that students return to school in Clark County. It will make taking off to move and settle in that much harder.

Oh well. Life goes on.

Cheating .. but it is funny

Three things to think about

1. Cows
2. The Constitution
3. The Ten Commandments

Cows

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that our government can track a cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps in the state of Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give them all a cow.

The Constitution

They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq. Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it's worked for over 200 years and we're not using it anymore.

The Ten Commandments

The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse...You cannot post "Thou Shalt Not Steal," "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery" and "Thou Shall Not Lie" in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians -- it creates a hostile work environment.

Goodbye to a dear friend

Animals were put on this earth for the service of man.
Each serves differently depending of species
Some get very close to our hearts

Malcolm was one of those.
He was boxer, weighing in around 85 pounds.
He was stout and all muscle.
He was a beautiful animal and a great friend.
He rarely barked, but when he did, you knew he meant business.
He loved to play.
He loved to run.
He loved wrestling with me, Tammy, or the kids.
Tammy and Kyle fed him.
Tammy cleaned up after him.
But, he was my dog.
He walked in and immediately attached himself to me.
He would walk by my side and listen attentively.
Oh, he was stubborn and stupid at times.
He was loved as much as I have ever seen a dog loved.
He like most people immediately.
Some he took a while deciding that he liked.
He was generally a great judge of character.
He loved riding.

Malcolm died today.
He died in our arms.
We tried mouth to mouth, to no avail.
He got hot on a trip back from South Carolina.
He panted.
He calmed down and laid down.
His breathing got labored.
We stopped and tried to save him.

We brought him home and buried him.
I miss him terribly.

We are away on a mini vacation .. y'all have a fun 

The Appraisal

cool beans.

The house appraised for 43% more than we are paying. If we were looking at the house as an investment, it is a great one. We are looking, however, at the house as a great place to live and finish raising kids. It is in a smaller town (pop. Just over 5600.) We are leaving a town with a population of 268,080 per 2005 census. Tammy swears they are all on Nicholasville Rd around the time she takes Chris home. Nicholasville Rd. is a road through town that has 6 lanes. Mt Sterling has a 4 lane by-pass and the rest of the streets are 2 lanes. We have made a dozen trips to the town and have only encountered traffic tie-ups at the interstate exit where they are doing construction. We will not know how to drive without a traffic jam.

Besides the traffic, there are many other features that make it so desirable. You will see and hear those as time goes on.

We will be leaving for South Carolina in the morning, so we will be incommunicado for a couple days. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Working on .....

You cannot know true love until you have felt the pain of its sharp bitter bite. It is in the healing that you find the purest nectar.

We will see where it goes .....

Vacationing resumes

The second two week vacation ensued on Saturday actually. Although there is no sleeping late (the taking Chris to work thing), there is opportunity to slip back into bed for sleep, cuddling, other bed activities, or just to be in the bed in the middle of the day.

Saturday morning, we head out to Columbia, South Carolina. That is the halfway point to pick up Kyle from Florida. It will be good to have the little chatterbox back home.

The house buying progresses along. I signed a dozen or so papers on Monday. I think I even signed a paper stating that I was allowed to sign all the papers. The packing continues. We are looking for more boxes. There is an entire blog in moving about the collecting of stuff. Stuff is the fabric of our lives. We collect stuff to remind us of every significant event in our lives. Some of the stuff will only be seen a few more times in our lives. However, we must keep it as it is our tie with our past. We only move into bigger houses when our past (stuff) begins to crowd us. We move, to find a bigger place to keep all of our stuff.

Stuff.

You know you have some. You know, sometime today, you will get some stuff that you will save. You will shove it into your purse or pocket. It may be at the end of the day, or days later, you will pull it out and give it the once over. You will relive the moment the stuff became important. Then, you will, either, find a place to store it for future trips down memory lane, or discard it as it has fulfilled it usefulness.

Stuff.

It is out there, in drawers, in closets, in garages, in storage boxes, in basements, in special stuff compartments of purses, in the folding money part of your wallet, in file cabinets, and all the other various places we put our stuff.

Stuff.

We come into marriages with our stuff in tow. We drag it all over the city and country. We horde it and guard it. It is our stuff.

Players On Ice

I was reading one of the online sports mags. They were going on about Ben Roethlisberger and his recent motorcycle accident. If you haven't been watching, Mr. Roethlisberger had an accident on his motor cycle that nearly took his life. There was internal bleeding and head trauma. He admits that he was seconds away from dying and gives great credit to the EMTs at the scene. I am glad Ben is okay now. He is the starting QB for the 2005/2006 Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

It is a great story of recovery and courage. There are extenuating events that have come up since the accident. Firstly, BR wasn't wearing a helmet (which he claims was unusual for him.)

Secondly, there are certain factions that are calling for clauses in contracts of major sports stars to prohibit them from engaging in life endangering activities. Now, football is a life threatening activity to begin with, but to think that athletes should be prohibited from riding motorcycles is ludicrous. Who decides what is dangerous? If I am paying an athlete $10 million per year, shaving is a dangerous activity.

I say we cryogenically freeze all athletes and only unthaw them for games. This will seriously limit their abilities to hurt themselves and/or embarrass the team. Teams could have a slew of players 'on ice.' They could thaw out only the players they need. The rest could be stored in a cryo chamber in the locker room. It is the perfect idea.

We could even expand its application to lawyers. It would work for Doctors. Why stop there? Go on to teachers, bus drivers, garbage men, anyone and everyone is eligible. Hmmmmm... even bloggers ? nahhhhhhhh !!

A beginning ...

She hates that shy nervous laugh even as she hears it coming out of her throat. He is dark and mysterious. It turns her on to be around him. His voice is like pure black magic claiming her soul. Yet, she can’t find the voice to tell him these simple truths. She finds herself wanting to be witty around him and fearing that she just sounds like a silly schoolgirl.

The chance that he can see the barely contained desire in her eyes forces her to avert her gaze. She is afraid he knows and afraid he will never know, all at the same time. She aches to be alone with him and still has reservations of what that might bring. She dreams he is trying to seduce her with his words and worries that he is just making polite conversation.

Minutes ago, she held her circle captive with her banter. They hung on every word, until he walked near. She felt his aura invade her space like a conquering host. In his presence, she became a shrinking violet. Her body fought against her speech. Her lips begged not to be betrayed. Her bosom heaved, her eyes danced, her fingers ached to touch, and her tongue pled to taste his.

Where will we go from here ?

I am THE dog ! 

You know you love me 

Yes, i am a goofy dog 

did you call me ? 

Malcolm taking a break 

Inspection return

The owners returned the inspection report and agreed to fix all the items on the list. YEAH !

There were some changes. They agreed to provide the insulation if we put it in. That is doable. Oh, Chris, we have a job for you. They agreed to replace 2 of the 5 windows and repair the remaining 3. We can live with that. The stone post will be repaired or removed. The plumber will be there soon to fix the plumbing problems. They agreed to extend the vent pipe. They agreed to pay for termite treatment as well. It is looking good.

I will have more to report when there is more to report.

Oh yeah, this is funny:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayat/sets/152374/

Have a great day !

Inspections

Today was the day of the home inspection and the termite inspection. The termite inspection revealed some shelter tubes, which were indicative of some past termite activity. The inspector called for termite treatment. The seller has to pay for that.

The Home Inspector told us we were stealing the house. He figured the value at nearly twice what we will be paying for the house. There were 11 items that he wrote up, some insignificant and some requiring work. He did tell us that if we didn't buy the house, he would be interested. He said the things there were wrong were things that could be easily fixed, for the most part. There were some nails that needed to be nailed back down on the roof. There was a problem with the hot water in the tub. There was some old knob and tube wiring under the house that needed to be replaced by an electrician (wonder if I know any of those.) Ron (home Inspector) said the nothing was inconsistent with a 60 yr old house that had been well maintained. He recommended buying the house, as its value will only go up, and it will "last longer than we will."

We are meeting with our RE Agent tonight to figure out the particulars of the 'where we go from here'.

The adventure continues ...

Living in one single tear

By the time it gently pushes itself down a cheek,
How many other hopes or fears have joined it,
To dwell on the cusp of a chin,
Before falling into oblivion;

So often, it is much more than the moment
There has been the welling
Until one single event produces the wound
And yesterday’s rain pours forth;

Hope produces a share
Hurt joins it there
Joys cannot resist its addition
Even love has its storm

There is a flow inside all of us
Fed from the heart
Gently coursing through all we do
Our lives resting in the serene lapping
Of the waves pressing our shores

Somewhere, off in the nether
A storm, almost unnoticed, rains down
A backwoods stream fills its banks
Rushing with a new urgency
To the mainstream

It may take minutes
It might take days
It could linger in the pool
Just waiting for its release
A word, a look, a rush
A tearing, a pouring, sweet release
Making room
A healing, a restoration, a patching
And the well begins to fill anew

A drop falls into oblivion
Giving its place to the next

Ron Simpson, Jr.
July 9, 2006

Crack

Dang, I will be so glad to move.

We are having work done on the upstairs here. Yesterday, the guy that came to look at a problem with a door, knocked on our door, and presented Tammy with a bottle that he found in the drive way, well, to the side of the driveway in the grass. It was a prescription bottle for Hydrocodone (lortab). The contents were not what was on the label . In the bottom were three of four small rocks of Crack Cocaine. On top of those were two small (about as round as a quarter) plastic bags filled with a white powder, resembling cocaine.

I called the local police and reported this find. They sent an officer to the house to gather the stuff. He checked it out and agreed with us that it was most likely cocaine. The bottle was for a prescription that was filled on 6/27/06. So, it was fairly new. There was a name and address on the label that was still on the bottle. He said he would go to the address and ask if they were missing a prescription.

When I called the police, the guy working upstairs got in his truck and left. He wasn't the owner of the drugs, but he didn't want to be around cops and drugs, he said. He suggested that they would probably arrest me. I laughed. Why would I call them to report drugs on my property if I were a dealer or user? The officer did sit in his car for a bit after we gave him the drugs and our info. I am sure he was checking out the address and name on the label. I am also sure he checked me out as well. I have no record whatsoever. I have never been arrested. I have never been detained. I have never spent so much as a minute in any jail, unless I was working on it.

I am sure there are drug problems where we are moving. However, the road we live on is a major thoroughfare. It connects two main streets in our town. There is a constant stream of traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, day and night. All of my neighbors are upstanding citizens. Both neighbors immediately to my sides are business owners. The neighbors across the street are business owners. Now, if you venture very far, you will come to some weekly rental properties. These do attract some bad elements. So, there are some problem neighbors a bit away, but it doesn't come here. Usually. The address on the bottle was 3 blocks from here.

I talked to the RE agent yesterday. I let her know that the home inspection and termite inspection are scheduled. I spoke to the Mortgage Broker, we are working on speeding up the process to give us an earlier closing date, to give us more time for the move and set up, before school starts back for me. He says things are going well, but would see if he can't speed things up a bit.

Moving day is coming ! Yeah !

Dang Illegal Aliens

We were watching the channel of eternal repeats of upcoming events, when they previewed yet again, an episode about the search for Atlantis. Ah, Atlantis, the mythical land that was perportedly swallowed by the sea.

The whole story started in 355BC with Plato, the Greek philosopher. Plato planned, but never got around to, writing a trilogy discussing the nature of man, the creation of the world, the story of Atlantis, and other subjects. He completed only the first of the trilogy.

Plato told stories with dialoge. If he wanted his reader to know something, he made it a point of conversation, debates, and/or arguments between characters in his stories. He often used real people in his stories, but the words they spoke were his.

In his book, Timaeus, a character tells the account of Atlantis that had been in his family for generations. According to Kritias, it was a powerful empire on an island in the Atlantic Ocean. The nation there had been established by Posideon. Posideon, supposedly, fathered five sets of twins on the island. Posideon divided the land in to ten sections, each to be ruled by one of his heirs.

The capital city of Atlantis was a marvel of architecture and engineering., composed of a series of concentric walls and canals. It had a hill in the center, upon which was a temple to Posideon.

About 9000 years before the time of Plato, the people became corrupt and greedy to the amount that the gods decided to destroy them. A violent earthquake shook the land, giant waves rolled over the shores, and the island sank into the sea, never to be seen again.

The ideas about the fact or fiction of Atlantis has been ballied back and forth for centuries. According to some believers, the gods were primative mens way of expressing their concept of aliens from outer space. They embrace the idea that aliens helped the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids. Aliens helped ancient men build Atlantis. When we find this city, we will have the proof that we have been visited by space aleins many times.

The kicker is: Even if/when we find the lost city, it will open more questions than it could ever answer. It wont prove anything and whatever is found will be used as fuel for each side to prove or disprove whatever theory to which they attach them.

This is where I say, "I said all that to say this."

I can almost (tongue in cheek) believe that aliens helped with the building of pyramids and Atlantis. Look around Lexington and the surrounding communities. There isnt anything being built that doesn't involve aleins working non stop. I can see it now, in my mind (scary place,) the space men, needing some pyramidding done, stopped by the Mars Labor Ready and picked up some alien day labor. They cruised up in their pick-up space ship and several aliens jumped in for a day trip to Earth. A quick trip to Earth, some nice work in the blazing desert sun, and they returned in the evening with enough space credits for a belly full of Martian hooch. Some of them might have slipped away and set up residence on Earth.

But that is another story ....

still vacationing ... sorta

I am still vacationing, along with trying to get the home and termite inspection scheduled for the house we have under contract.

I started writing this a day or so ago.

The active or the passive life.

Several years ago, I looked over my life and discovered, at that point, that I was a floater, as I call it. I was floating through life. I got up each morning. I went to work. I paid my bills. I contributed to the economy. I talked to my friends. I went out occasionally. I went to bed. The whole process repeated itself again.

I wasn't under happy. I was content for the most part. Until, I inventoried. It was then I decided to make changes in my life. Some were small, while others were broad sweeping changes. One of those changes was getting married to Tammy, whom I had been dating for 18 months.

I became an active participant in my life.

Recently, I have seen the subtle nuances of 'settling down' creeping back in. Routine is trying to claw it's way back to dominance. Now, understand this, there is nothing wrong with getting up every day and going to work. There is nothing wrong with paying your bills. There is nothing wrong with having a group of friends and socializing with said friends. However, it is far too easy to become a passive participant in life.

There are times, and there must be, when you have to cut across the current. There are times you have to strike out against the status quo and shake up the normal. The people who do that are the ones you read about in the paper. I am not talking about the ones committing outrageous acts of violence or mayhem. Social disobedience for the sake of profit or attention is not actively participating in life. More often then not, those people are being drawn by the current they have created in their life . If we follow the progression of events that lead to such acts, we will most likely find a pattern escalating and leading to whatever event captured our attention.

I also think that social change most often comes from one individual rallying others to a common cause that may have began as a cause of one, and grew. Perhaps it was just too far to make it to the back of the bus that day for Rosa Parks, or perhaps she made a conscious choice to effect a revolutionary change. Either way, her active choice lead to sweeping changes in a nation.

There have been others throughout history that have, for the sake of one or the sake of the whole, effected change, by being an active participant. While I am not comparing myself to these individuals, I feel that everyone of us needs to be an active participant in our lives. Everest was not scaled because someone was following everyone. Continents and countries were not found and founded because someone was following the crowd.

Everyone should be an active participator. There are times that the flow of the current is taking you where you want to go. Others times, it is imperative to cut your rudder across the current and set your oars to water.

To be continued ....

House news

There is major movement on the house news.

Sunday, we made an offer somewhat lower than the asking price and slightly lower than what we were willing to pay.

Tuesday, the counter offer came in. They agreed to all the terms (this stays, we do this, y'all do that.) The money counter was the exact price we had in mind to pay. We accepted and now have a contract on the house. It has to appraise for the agreed on price (which it should very easily.) It has to pass the home inspection and the termite inspection.

My mortgage broker is faxing the pre approval letter to the realtor. From there we get the appraisal. Then the inspections. The closing is set for July 28th. We hope to push that to the week earlier. It will give us time to get settled before I have to be back at school on August 1.

Dancing the happy feet dance.

What a day ...

It was a good day with friends.

The afternoon was spent at the picnic with about 50 friends. Then the eveing was spent singing karaoke with about 30 old friends. It was grand. I could stand a few days like that a week, lol.

The picnic was lots of fun with the good food, good company, and the water wars. It was a good eating, good talking, wet dripping time. I brought the Nuke dip. It was a great hit. The recipe:

2 lbs Velveeta Cheese (cubed)
2 lbs Ground Beef
1 lb. Hot Breakfast Sausage
24 oz Hot Pace Picante
16 oz Diced Hot Banana Peppers
16 oz Diced Jalapenos
12 oz Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilies)
1 Onion (Diced)
Habanera Pepper Juice (to suit taste)

Cook the burger and sausage in the juice from the banana peppers. Melt the cheese with the picante. Add the other ingredients. Eat with chips. Eat with scrambled eggs. Eat on a hamburger. Eat it on your finger. It is good and hot.

It has a great taste along with the heat. The best thing is that you can adjust the heat to suit your own individual taste.

Try it.

Dead horses

Ode to a dead horse beater

through this site
here we gather
to beat the horse
that died in his lather

the subject is whipped
til nothing doth remain
but still our whips
know no refrain

even now we whip
not the horse laying dead
but the new horses
ridden by repliers instead

can we stop this nonsense
can we stop the bloody fray
before there are no more horses
to take us home today ?

Ron

“Life is a series of unexploded events
held precariously together
by this fleeting facade we call order."

Counting the days

I am counting the days until vacation time.

time to relax

time to move slowly

time to sleep late

time to sing the night away

time to enjoy life

time to refresh for the new school year awaits

Vacation will start with a bang, albeit a wet bang. I am looking forward to the water gun wars of the coming weekend. There will be much mirth and laughter. It will be good to see some old friends. It is my understanding that some friends from Louisville are even making the trip.

Today has been interesting. Usually, the school and the State are crying that we are spending too much money. Today, my Principal calls me and tells me that I absolutely must spend $800 today, on tools and material. I put my calculating skills to work and spent it all. I like it when they say "Spend."

Well, free time (lunch) is over.

Y'all have a great day.

"Semper et infirmi est animi exiguique voluptas Ultio."
Revenge is always the weak pleasure of a little and narrow mind.

Two more days of classes

I just finished two days of classes on some training equipment I inherited from the former program. The classes were in Danville. It was a nice 40 mile one way trip. The classes were fun and informative. That's the kind of classes I like. All I have to do now is convince my Principal and the state that I need the $30,000 that is required to purchase and update the systems that are there.

I have this week of school left and then vacation begins. I will be off 4 weeks over the summer, although I will spend some of that at a teachers conference in Louisville. I have to do that networking thing. For the most part, the teachers I have met are more than willing to share their teaching skills and secrets with the new guys like me.

There is not much else going on around here. We are getting things ready for a picnic this weekend. We are going to spend time with friends and colleagues. There will be burgers and dogs, water balloons and water guns, and vast amounts friends. It hopes to be a good time.

Y'all have fun.

OK .. I wrote something new

A Hero

As a growing boy
I had several heroes
Some wore capes
Some flew through the air
Some had webs
While others had glowing repulsor beams

My childhood heroes
Came in various sizes, shapes, and colors
They had special powers
With super secret identities
They had super foes
To provide spectacular battles

As I grew,
My heroes changed
They became more real
And worked their special abilities
In the real world
The same real world I lived in

They were leaders
Men and women of peace
Or champions of important causes
They battled injustices
With the powers of the mind
And the weapon of the pen

Older now
And looking across a stretch of time
That sees the changes
Wrought by a near lifetime
Of growing and changing
My heroes have become closer

The caped flying warrior of justice
Still brings the smile to my boyish heart
The champions of world issues
Still stir my being to fight the good fight
However, now I can see the heroes
That have been with me all my life

You didn’t put on a cape and fight my foes
But you did keep me safe
You didn’t fight hunger in the world arena
But you worked, everyday, and fed a family
You have always been my champion
Even when the sparkle in my eyes
Was captured by some far distant star

You are one of my heroes, Dad
Even when I didn’t know what heroes were
You were there filling those shoes
Today, you will just smile
And say you were doing what fathers do
But, I will know,
That is part of being a hero too

Thanks for all the years
Of being my unsung hero

Ron Simpson
June 18, 2006

Happy Fathers Day

I think I will cheat a post today ... (actually use someone else's words)

My dad chased monsters from the dark
He checked underneath my bed
And he could lift me with one arm
Way up over top of his head
He could loosen rusty bolts
With a quick turn of his wrist
He pulled splinters from his hand
And never even flinched
In thirteen years Id never seen him cry
But the day that grandpa died, I realized

Unsinkable ships sink
Unbreakable walls break
Sometimes the things you think could never happen
Happens just like that
Unbendable steel bends
If the fury of the wind is unstoppable
Ive learned to never underestimate
The impossible

From "The Impossible" by Joe Nichols

Dads are human too ...

And from my old bag of bones ...

The Child I Never Saw

When I met him,
He was as old as anyone I knew,
As we walked,
He aged, and I grew;
I never knew him unknowing,
I never saw him young,
I saw that shining warrior,
Of which many songs were sung;
He held me,
He clothed me,
He fed me,
I was the child,
He could not be;
As I played hide-n-seek,
He saw what my tomorrows might be,
He worked,And he dreamed, for me;
He held faith,
He harbored hope,
He kept the dream,
I never saw the child,
But, hand in hand,
We walked in times stream;
The man I am today,
Belongs to the child I never saw.

Thanks, Dad.

Ron Simpson, Jr.
June 21, 2001

Going on ...

I have thought about this a good portion of the day. I have even consulted the Bible a time or two. I was at a loss of how to proceed. Parts of me wanted to retaliate against those that would speak harshly to me. Parts of me wanted to break down and just cry. Still, there were other parts that wanted to hide in the corner and other parts that wanted to just stop thinking about it at all.

I have come to these conclusions.

I cannot stop people from thinking what they wish to think, no matter how vehemently I defend or decry the situation.

No matter how well thought or elegant, any response will change nothing and serve only to perpetuate the situation.

This cannot change who I have fought to become unless I allow it to get inside me and fester (Isaiah 59 about cockatrice eggs.)

I will have to live with the consequences of my decisions, as will those around me.

I will not allow this to live in my heart or my head. (A friend told me once, you can't stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can stop him from making a nest in your hair.)

I have a wonderful circle of friends and the best 'best friend' ever.

I love my children and my hand will always be open to them.

The only door I have closed is the door to the past, and I refuse to open it again.

There was one chance to live a perfect life, and someone already beat me to that.

I am still looking forward to tomorrow and all the beauty it can bring.

Living is a good thing.

something I got in Email

Boycott Huge Success

The Counties of San Diego, Imperial, Los Angeles and Orange reported the statistics for the Boycott and Rally by the Latino Communities was a resounding success.

1. Retailers reported sales were down 4.2%
2. Shoplifting was down 67%
3. Traffic collisions involving Uninsured drivers were down 42%
4. Gang related violence was down 71%
5. Street corner 'Orange' sales were down 85%
6. Illegal dumping was down 53%
7. Hospital Emergency Rooms reported 86% fewer non insured patients.
8. County Services reported 65% fewer Welfare Claims.

The County Commissioners are recommending a Boycott be held at least once a week for the foreseeable future.

Take it in the humor in which it is intended !!

Unbelievable

My baby graduated from High School last night ... sniffle sniffle

part of my gift ...

My gift

For most of your life, we have held something in safekeeping for you
We have doled out small amounts when the situation warranted
But for the most part, have kept it, in trust, waiting for a day like today
Today, you fulfilled a parents dream, and trust me, we have had plenty

It started in your toddler years, in little bitty increments
It progressed through your early school years.
We trusted you with small amounts, but it is such a volatile substance,
It had to be so closely monitored and carefully measured
There were times you demanded it
However, you were still not ready
Even today, it is extremely dangerous to use,
Nevertheless, we must have faith that you are ready to handle it fully

It is not in this envelope
Although, additional gifts may gather here

It is out there,
Outside the doors
Out there in the real world
Out there, where it usage has the greatest impact
It is choice
You are standing under a caution light,
With roads running out past the horizon
In every direction
The World is open to you
There is no one there to make you go
Save choice
There is no one there to make you stop
Save choice
It is a gift more valuable than the checks you gather today
It is more valuable than the cards, or the party

You are now a creature of choice
There are no rules
You can do whatever you choose, from here
There are consequences to choice, but no barriers

Enjoy all the gifts you accumulate today
But, use choice the wisest


Dad

Absentee

The Governor of KY is being indicted today. His lawyers will attend the arraignment, but he will not. The Governor is too busy to be there. He is in Florida on vacation.

I think this shows a complete contempt for the legal system. As Governor , he should be the shining example of legal compliance. Even if he thinks this indictment is politically motivated and has no merit, he, as our chief legal officer, should be using all diligence, to give credence to the legal system.

I know he is not required to be at the proceedings, but his disregard, considering his position, is contemptible, in my eyes.
I have not seen the evidence in the case. I have only seen the actions of the parties involved. The Governors actions speak volumes, maybe more than he intended. He should be in every court proceeding, proclaiming his innocence. He should answer every reporters question, proclaiming his innocence.

Just my take ...

Quite a pair

A friend of about 40 years died this week. I have known his entire family most of my life. He was 42. I wrote this for his mom, in memory of him ...

Quite A Pair

It was a long time ago and yesterday,
you came into my life crying and cooing;
Eventually, you were toddling, holding my hand as you went
we made quite the pair;
One day, right on time and way too soon,
you let go of my hand and made it to the chair without falling;

Time passed, trikes gave way to bikes,
training wheels held you up and saved your knees;
That dreaded day came and the training wheels were gone,
my hand on the seat as you pedaled along;
I let go of that seat and watched you ride ,
filled with sadness and swelling with parents pride;

I let go of your hand the day you started school,
and watched you ride away on that big yellow bus;
I let go of your hand when you walked across that stage,
and someone gave significant paper and a handshake of congratulations;

I let go of your hand when you took the hand of your wife,
and I watched, as Mom's do, as you started a brand new life;

Today, I will let go of your hand one more time
and you will walk a walk you must take alone,
but ... before you go,
there is something you need to know

I really didn't let go the day you made it to the chair;
I still held the seat the day you circled the yard;
I held you all the way to school, in that big yellow bus;
I walked across that stage with you, hand in hand,
We made quite a pair;
I did watch you take her hand in yours, but mine remained there too;
Even today, as you walk the final walk, on the path you chose
I will not let go of your hand;

Someday, we may walk, hand in hand,
down a street of purest gold,
and the angels will stop and smile,
because, we make quite a pair.

Ron Simpson Jr.
June 7, 2006

In Memory
Ricky Blevins

Something different

The Assault

I thought it was a shallow pool, like a rain puddle
The sun would come up in the morning and chase it away
I had no idea it would overwhelm my life and change it forever
There was no clue that it would be this engulfing force

By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late
I was in its terribly powerful grasp
As much as I struggled, it was to no avail
I only entangled myself more in this bondage

Wave after wave inundated me
Invading my very core
Surrounding me at every port
Leaving me without an avenue of flight

Fear crushed me
Hope of release fled
I was trapped
Without chance of liberation

Slipping under
I marveled that this could happen to me
All my care was undone
All my caution unraveled

How could this be
How could this happen
How could I
How could I fall in love?

Ron Simpson Jr.
June 2, 2006

FRIDAY !!!!

I used to work for a contractor that killed all the excitement of Friday. We worked 6 days a week, so Friday wasn't the end of the work week, and we got paid on Thursday, so it wasn't payday. Talk about your downer. Anyway, it is the end of the work week for me, today, so YEAH !!

My hand is somewhat better. It is throbbing at the moment. I probably shouldn't be typing this, but if I weren't, I would be typing something else for work, so there would be typing either way. I am working on a course syllabus for each of the classes I teach to put into my Program Assessment Box. They have to be ready for inspection by Friday next. I have a class all next week and will not be here at the school to work on mine. I will be working some at home in the evenings to finish it up, but am trying to get as much done now as I can. (pain not withstanding)

I just printed Syllabus number one, three more to go, yipeeee.

I am still sleeping in the sitting position. Tammy abandoned the bed last night to sleep on the couch with me. She says she just can't sleep as well or at all if I am not in there. That is one of my superhero powers, I guess.

I have discovered an activity that the pain loves more than typing. That is driving. It hates driving. There is something about the position it has to be in and the vibration of driving that seems to aggravate it. The combination of the days work and the drive home make it flare way up.

BUT ... It is FRIDAY !!!!

I know, my pain does not know it is Friday, but I do.

The tests from the DR visit should be available on Monday. Then we will know if we are pursuing the proper treatment. I know it still hurts like a Raz-a-fraz-a-braz-a-racker when I try to write.

well, it is time to get back to the grindstone, and there is a random thought running around in my head, that might need attention sooner than later.

I might be back ...

The hand news

Well, I am off work today. I do not need to be driving.

Writing is difficult. It is weird. I can bend the two outside fingers all the way to the palm with no pain. I can bend the middle two fingers all the way to the palm with not pain. But, if I try to bend any three fingers, the pain is nearly unbearable. Tuesday, at work, I was addressing the envelop to send my assignment to Dr. D. I had the pen in my hand, holding it with my first finger and my thumb, and writing very sloppily. I twitched my middle finger and bent it in, instinctively. The PAIN shot to a 15. I broke out in a sweat. I almost threw up.

In 30 years of working construction, I cannot remember a pain that hurt as much. I still had to finish the address (which I did, painfully.) Then I had to drive home, picking Chris up along the way. I was in so much pain in my left hand, I couldn't even grab my seatbelt. When I picked Chris up, I had him hand me the seatbelt. I drove to Lex and met Tammy. We did the switch (Chris.) Then, I went home and took drugs. Eventually, the pain waned.

I went to my DR yesterday. She suspects that it is Gout. I never thought of that. The symptoms fit. She put me on several meds and told me to continue with the neurontin, if it works. So, here I am, not hurting as much (pain is at a 3 level now on a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being intolerable,) not stoned this time, and still sleeping on the couch because laying down makes it hurt more ('bout an 8.)

Doc put me on Methylprednisolone and Cephalexin. She sent me for X-rays.

I have a follow up appt next week.

Oh yeah, I can now bend three fingers at once.