Super Hero?

Remember how you never saw Super Man and Clark Kent in the same place? Or how you never saw Batman and Bruce Wayne in the same room? Obviously we know why...

Recently I got to thinking that I've never seen Dusty Baker and Marvin Lewis at the same time. Coincidence? Hmmmm... I'm beginning to think not. Why? Glad you asked. Listening to Cincinnati sports talk radio today, I heard the same thing over and over. "Not a good weekend for fans of professional sports teams in Cincinnati." I heard the same descriptions for both teams multiple times... Disinterested, flat, uninspired, going through the motions, mailing it in, the other team wanted it more, acting like they didn't want to be there, embarrassing, the list goes on and on. I am a firm believer that teams take on the personality of their coaches. I think this has never been more true than it is with the Reds and the Bengals. Both teams lack discipline, lack a competitive fire, lack a killer instinct, lack leadership and lack someone telling them to kick it into gear or they will find themselves riding the bench or out of a job. Mediocrity reigns supreme in Cincinnati sports. I truly believe Dusty and Marvin are the same guy and same coach (just wearing different uniforms).

Bottom line: Neither the Reds nor the Bengals will ever go anywhere until they fire Dusty- Marvin- Baker- Lewis.

The Reds and Bengals are the best average teams in their respective leagues. Masters of mediocrity!

King of the Grill!

Tonight was Abby's "Company Picnic". Actually it was closing day for the Snack Shack where she works and there was a very nice picnic for all the employees and their families. My reputation as the grill master must have preceded me. When we arrived, I was asked to grill all the food. I was happy to oblige. We had grilled salmon, stuffed jalapeno peppers, stuffed mushrooms, stuffed bell peppers and stuffed zucchini. YUM! We also had pulled pork, sliced filet mignon and tons of side dishes. We dis not leave hungry.

Abby has worked at the Hidden Valley concession stand (Snack Shack) for three years. It has been a very good first work experience for her, but she is ready to move on. She is pursuing a job at Willie's Sports Cafe' as a hostess or a job at Perfect North Ski Slopes. Either one would be a good job for a teenager.

Reds following suit

Remember when I said I had given up my emotional attachment to the Bengals? That statement still holds true and it feels so good! I am happy to report I have reached the same level of detachment with the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds have played five crucially important games since Monday and they have done nothing but sleep walk through all of them. They have played uninspired and look like they can't wait for the season to end so they can go on vacation. These guys are raking in millions of dollars. If THEY don't care... I don't care either.

I am still a fan and I want them to win the World Series again one day. But I'm here to tell you, I am done with hanging on every pitch and agonizing over every close game. Consider me liberated, folks. This feels sooooooooooo good!

The fact is, The Reds were supposed to big winners this year (at least on paper), but they have spent the entire season underachieving and letting other teams push them around. The Reds lack the killer instinct that is required of championship caliber teams and they sorely lack leadership. None of this will change as long as Dusty Baker is the manager. He's described as a "Player's Manager". Do you know what that means? It means he's their buddy and unwilling to kick some rear end when it's desperately needed. Just like your kids need you to be a parent and NOT a friend, the Reds need Dusty Baker to be a leader and not their pal. It ain't never gonna happen. Dusty Baker is who he is. He's a nice man who knows more about baseball than I ever will. He's just not the guy to lead them into battle and to take no prisoners. He's more likely to want to sit down and have tea with the opposing team (aka the enemy).

As long as Dusty is the manager, the Reds will always be a good baseball team. But never good enough to get to the next level. Under Dusty The Reds will win enough games to get into the playoffs, but will be a non-factor once they get there (For reference see last year's playoff debacle or their appearance in the 2010 playoffs).

Go Reds!

This sentiment brought to you by your newest casual fan and your most recently departed die hard fan.

Offensive?

There is a lot of talk these days about team names and mascots that are considered offensive. This is not surprising in the age of political correctness. Many people these days are hypersensitive to being offensive or being offended. When did Americans become so thin skinned? At the heart of the controversy is the Washington Redskins football team. Apparently Native Americans are offended by the name. Defenders of the team name say it is not intended as a put down, but an honor. Native Americans were fierce warriors known for their bravery and resolve. Listen folks, I'm no expert and because I'm not a Native American, I have no right to say if the Native American community should have a problem with the name Redskins. All I know is I am of German descent and if some football team was named "The Krauts", I don't think I would be offended. It's not a very flattering name, but it hardly bothers me.

At the moment, the owner of the Washington Redskins has no intention of changing the name despite tremendous pressure from Native Americans, advocacy groups and even some high ranking politicians. To be honest, it wouldn't bother me either way. Change it or don't change it... whatever. Others have caved to pressure and changed team names. Miami University used to be called the Redskins, but changed to the Red Hawks. Good for them, I suppose. I'm guessing somewhere in history there was a Native American named Red Hawk. I wonder if he's offended? Honestly, I'd be be honored if some college named their football team the "Mick Meyers". I'd root for them every week!

Seriously though... I'm not into name calling and hurting the feelings of others. If Redskins is offensive... it's offensive.

The Cincinnati Bengals play the Cleveland Browns this week. I hope the Bengals stomp 'em! In light of this weekend's game, I give you the following:

Bob: The name Cleveland Indians is offensive. It should be changed.

Joe: By golly, Bob, you're right! I agree. We should call them the Ohio Indians instead.

Hahahahaha! Gotcha Cleveland! You really are the Mistake on the Lake!

Luxury?

Do you consider using the restroom a luxury? I know that must seem like a supremely odd question. This is not going to be a post about the blessings of indoor plumbing and how third world countries do not enjoy the same "potty facilities" we do. This post is about how some people enjoy the "luxury" of being able to use the restroom whenever they need to (especially at work). The idea behind this post occurred to me today in my classroom. It was about 9:15 and I'd had a few cups of coffee by then. As an old guy, a few cups of coffee can run through my system with lightning speed. Exacerbating the problem is the fact that caffeine is a diuretic. Needless to say, nature's call was becoming fairly urgent by about 9:30 and I do not get a break until lunch at 12:15. In most jobs, people would just mosey to the restroom, take care of business and go back to work. Things are not quite so easy for teachers. I can't exactly leave 20+ sixth graders alone in a classroom just because I have to tinkle. Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if 6th graders were left unsupervised for more than five seconds? It would get ugly in a hurry! Needless to say, as a teacher, I was forced to hold it. Things were okay... for a while. By about 10:30 I was really starting feel uncomfortable (and I still had nearly two hours before I had any chance of a break). The more the morning went along, the more I thought about how nice it must be to work in a job where I could use the restroom anytime I wanted. But alas, I don't. I'm in a classroom with a job to do. So what did I do? I did exactly what you think I'd do. I literally held my water and did my job. Time passed and learning went on as planned. By now it was about 11:00 or 11:15 and the situation escalated (if you know what I mean). It was really difficult to concentrate and my thoughts kept wandering to the millions of people in the American work force who have the freedom to use the restroom any time they wish. Think about that for a minute. Something as basic as the need to use the restroom is a daily and very real challenge for me. Anyway, by about 11:45 my eyeballs were floating and I was beginning to question if I could last another 30 minutes. By now I was really beginning to envy those folks who can potty at will. Now it's noon and I have legitimate pain in my abdomen. Fifteen minutes until lunch (and the desperately needed restroom break) and the countdown is on! I'm not sure how I made it, but I did. I took my students to the cafeteria for lunch and I walked briskly to the faculty restroom. Whew! Just in the nick of time!

Please understand I am not whining or complaining. I am merely shedding some light on the life of a teacher. These are the parts of the job most people have no idea about. Teaching is more than books, pencils and glorified babysitting. All I ask is the next time you're at work and nature calls, think of how fortunate you are to enjoy the luxury of something so seemingly mundane and simple as a restroom break. Teachers would love to be afforded such a luxury.

I'm having a bit of fun with this topic and I'm sure you would all laugh picturing me doing the "pee pee dance" in front of a bunch of 12 year olds. But in all seriousness I must question if it may be detrimental to my urinary system (and ultimately my overall health) to be deprived of timely restroom breaks. I've had some problems in the past and I can't help but wonder if those problems may be related to the events related above.

Fit as a fiddle

I had a doctor appointment today. I am happy to report I received a clean bill of health. Apparently I am as fit as a fiddle (health-wise that is). The only suggestion from the doc was that I lose some weight. This came as no surprise to me. I even had a good blood pressure reading (which is amazing considering my stressful job and spare tire around my mid-section).

Looks like I'm going to be around for a while. Many happy years of blogging ahead!

Oh by the way...

It's Tuesday night and I haven't mentioned the Bengals at all. This is no accident.

The Bengals won in spectacular fashion Sunday. They defeated the Green Bay Packers (a very good team with one of the best quarterbacks in the league). As much fun as it was to watch the Bengals win in the waning moments of the game, I still refuse to get caught up in all the hoopla. Am I glad they won? Sure I am! Can I get a "Who-Day!"? Am I gonna go ape because they won a big game? Nope! I say good job, Bengals, but I maintain my emotional detachment from the orange and black attack. Being a casual fan is SO liberating. No more angst filled Sunday afternoons for me. If the guys win, great. If they lose, so be it.

10,000!

10,000 page views
Ten Thousand page views
10000 page views
10x1000 page views

It doesn't matter how you look at it. 10,000 page views in two years is amazing to me. Thank you to anyone who reads this blog (and the truth is, I have no earthly idea who most of you are). I know of a few people who read this blog regularly, but there must be some of you reading this stuff without me knowing about it. That's fine. As I said last week. I'll keep writing if you all keep reading.

Thank you again for helping me reach this milestone. I'm flattered that anybody would click on "Silence Runs Deep" ten thousand times.

The Promised Land

You're probably familiar with the Old Testament story of God's covenant with Abraham. Abraham was assured by God he would be the father of many nations and that his people (Later to be known as Israel) would one day inhabit the Promised Land of Canaan. I'm sure you've heard that Canaan was touted as a land flowing with milk and honey.

Yesterday Sveta learned this same story in Sunday School. I can't be certain, but I don't think she got it quite right. She told her mom about a place with "Big grapes, milk and honey. It's called Canada!"

Hmmmm... If I'd known Canada was that great, I would have moved there a long time ago.

Out of the mouths of babes... CUTE!

The beginning of the end

I woke up earlier than I wanted to today (the alarm clock is NOT my friend). I had a splitting headache which is highly unusual for me. I spent most of my day at church (Sunday School, morning service, evening service and supplying food for the youth group after the evening service), which is a good thing. It's been a bit of a rough day and I think I know why... today is the first day of fall. That's right folks, Autumn is upon us. The second most depressing season of the year. The season I view as the beginning of the end. Early fall leads to late fall which leads to early winter. You see what I'm getting at. Spring and summer are nothing but memories now. *SIGH*

The Old Testament

If you're like me, you have (or had) a preconceived notion that the Old Testament was boring and not worth reading. 20 years ago all I could have told you was it contained the story of creation, the story of the Exodus, a bunch of stuff about the law that no longer pertains to us and the stories of all the prophets. I also would have told you that when I read the Bible I would have stuck with the New Testament and avoided the Old Testament as much as possible. At that time I thought the Old Testament was antiquated, dry and not relevant to my life. I could not have been MORE wrong. The Holy Bible is a living, breathing document. It is perfect and it is the complete word of God. Nothing ever needs to be added to it and nothing ever needs to be removed. It hasn't been more than a few years since I started reading and studying the Old Testament in earnest. It is absolutely amazing what is in there. My eyes have been opened to the truth of the Old Testament. It's not antiquated, it's not dry and it is most certainly relevant to my life. For about a year now I have been teaching Sunday School at my church and teaching a Bible study on Wednesday nights in my home. Both groups are studying Old Testament scripture almost exclusively. I have learned so much right along with my students. If you think the Old Testament is dry, boring and unimportant because it pre-dates Jesus Christ, I would encourage you to read it and give it a chance. I mean really, really read it. I think you'll be as amazed as I was with the wonderment of Old Testament scripture. It's as good as any modern day TV show or movie. It's full of war, blood, murder, romance, sex, adultery, miracles, super natural events, lying, cheating, stealing, deceit, under dog stories, redemption, history, comedy (yes, I believe God has a sense of humor) and much more. Does that stuff sound boring? Not to me it doesn't!

Guilty Pleasures

Admit it. You have them. We all do. I'm talking about guilty pleasures. I have plenty.

An ice cold brewski from time to time
Crossword puzzles
A nap on a Sunday afternoon
Ice cream
Buffalo wings
Reds baseball
Bengals football
And on a minor scale... Television.

Our family doesn't watch a lot of television. Most of it is garbage and we choose to pass on it. However, there are a few shows we really enjoy and I guess you'd call them guilty pleasures.

Duck Dynasty
The Deadliest Catch
Monk
And yes, Survivor.

Survivor has the potential to be a bit trashy. Bad language, women in bikinis (yes, I avert my eyes), men in their underwear and people stabbing each other in the back (figuratively). Not exactly wholesome television. But it's a fun show and we watch it with a bit of a discerning eye. It is possible to watch such a show and not let it adversely affect you. You just need to be careful.

This season is going to be interesting. In a game entitled Blood vs Water, players are competing against their loved ones. This is a first for Survivor. We just watched the first episode and it did not disappoint.

A guilty pleasure? Yeah, you can call it that.

Full of it!

Recently one of my students was being especially difficult. This in and of itself is not unusual. However, this particular behavior problem was a bit ridiculous. The student in question was sitting next to an open window and was complaining saying he couldn't breathe. The truth is, he didn't want to sit next to the window because his friend was on the other side of the room, not because he couldn't breathe. He was faking because he thought I would change his seat and move him closer to his friend. PFFFFFFTTTTTTTT!!!!!!! I wasn't buying it. He just kept whining and complaining thinking he would wear me down and I would change my mind. It didn't work. I told the student that since he hadn't stopped complaining in over fifteen minutes I was confident he was having no problem getting air into his lungs. Unwilling to give up, the student tried to up the ante. His next ploy was to tell me he had "eczema". I knew he meant "asthma", but I didn't tell him that. I reasserted my position and told him he would remain in his current seat no matter what he said. After more whining and complaining he finally gave up and realized I was an immovable force. The score: Teacher 1, Student 0. A few hours later this same student was at recess playing a rough, vigorous game of basketball. Never being one to pass up an opportunity, I approached the student and asked him how his "eczema" was doing (knowing full well he had been full of boloney earlier). He said he felt fine. I pressed him and asked him how he could play basketball outside, but not sit near an open window. In all seriousness he told me this was different air. Different air? Yeah, right! I then told him that's not the way "eczema" works. I went on and told him the air coming in the window was the same air as on the basketball court. He didn't admit it, but I think he finally realized the jig was up. Exhibiting a defeated look, he made some obnoxious noise and walked away. Game, set and match! The winner, and STILL champion, Mr. Meyer! Kids! What a bunch of amateurs!

Bringing it home

My job is stressful. There's no doubting that. I try really hard not to bring my job home with me, but it does happen from time to time. I'm talking about not bringing home my troubles and stress, not actual work like grading papers and such. However, sometimes when I get home its hard to flip the teacher switch off and flip the husband and dad switch on. Sometimes the line between the two gets a bit fuzzy. In the past there have been times when I have come home and snapped at the kids. Not because they deserved it, but because I'd had a tough day and hadn't completely switched out of teacher mode. Tami will often look at me and tell me I'm not at work. These are times when I may be particularly intense or harsh about something. I don't deny it. Sometimes it's difficult to distinguish between work and home. It doesn't happen all that often, but it DOES happen. One day I knew I had crossed the line when I "shushed" Abby for talking. She looked at me puzzled and said, "Why?". I kind of shook myself awake and told her honestly, "I don't know". I guess my students had been particularly noisy that day and must have done a lot of "shushing". My response to Abby was an involuntary reaction. I had not quite gotten out of teacher mode and used my teacher voice. You probably have never heard my teacher voice, but believe me... you'd know it if you heard it.

 

On a lighter note...

Okay folks, no more angry children posts :-)

On a lighter note... In a couple of weeks this blog turns two years old. It's hard to believe I have posted something in this space almost every day for two years. Even more remarkable is that you all have been reading this stuff for almost two years. Thanks for sticking around and hanging in there with me.

I currently have over 9,700 page views and would love to reach the magical 10,000 mark before this blog's birthday (October 1st). I'll keep posting if you folks keep reading. We can do it! 10,000 page views before the first day of October.

Game on!

Angry Children Part 2

Dealing with angry children. Case in point... here's what happened this morning. In an attempt to be that friendly face, I attempted to have a conversation with a student who is in the band (the band practices in the mornings before school). I noticed he was arriving to class when he should have been at band rehearsal. In an attempt to engage in conversation, I pleasantly asked if he was in the band (knowing full well he is). No response... just a scowl. Then I asked nicely why he wasn't at rehearsal. Again, no response and a deeper scowl. Then I switched gears and simply asked, "So, what instrument do you play, trumpet?". At this point the child screamed at me, "NO!!!!!!!!". Well, okay then. Good morning to you too, sweetie! UGH! Ask a simple question, get screamed at in return.

Can you imagine screaming at your teacher? For any reason? Ever? This is what I deal with every day. What causes a child to believe it is acceptable to scream at a teacher, to scream at any adult, or at anybody????? I try to be nice. I really do. I try to be patient and understanding, but being screamed at by an 11 year old is tough to take. And this isn't an isolated case. Unfortunately this is the norm.

How well would you function at work if you attempted to exchange pleasantries with someone and all they did was scream at you? How long would you remain employed if you exhibited that type of behavior? You know as well as I do... not long at all. You'd be tossed out on your rear end before you knew what hit you. So I feel I must ask this question... why must we accept this behavior from children in schools? In public schools we don't have the option of throwing kids out (unlike being able to fire someone from a job). I ask the question in all sincerity, but honestly do not know the answer. I do know this though... the days of people taking responsibility for their own actions are all but gone. It's always somebody else's fault.

This is not so much a gripe as it is an observation of what our schools have become. I think many people know things in schools can be challenging. I just think they don't know HOW bad things have become.

As I stated yesterday, I will keep plugging away, keep on top of these kids and do the best I can every day. As tough as things are, I will not give up. The kids or their parents might quit, but I won't.

I am posting the following video from some unknown high school. I am not claiming my school is like THIS, but I just want to show an example of angry children in schools. Yes, this is an extreme example, but I'm posting it for shock value (and to validate my point of angry kids in schools). Children will hurt each other and some will have no remorse. Sorry for the serious posts the last few days, but this is my reality sometimes.

Click the link to view the video. Please be forewarned... it is violent and shocking. View at your own risk. Parental discretion is advised.

http://www.700wlw.com/articles/national-news-104668/shock-video-student-gets-slammed-in-11661296/

Angry Children

You all know my chosen career. I teach 6th grade. This is my 24th year in the trenches, so I feel like I have enough experience to talk about the topic of education. This will not be a rant or a gripe session. It's really not my style and that's not what this blog is about anyway. I want to discuss the topic of ANGRY children.

I am amazed every day by the number of children who walk through my classroom door angry. I'm talking about children who are full of rage first thing in the morning. Now, we've all had bad days. We've all woke up in a bad mood. We've all had things that happen first thing in the morning that affect our whole day. That's part of being human. The children I'm referring to come through my door angry more often than not. I'm not talking about the kind of angry where a kid maybe had an argument with his/her best friend. I'm talking about the kind of anger that is coming from somewhere down deep. A simmering, seething, ticking time bomb kind of anger. This is what I see every day. I must confess this troubles me greatly and causes me distress because I don't understand where the anger is coming from or how to help these children. I know many of my students come from broken homes and some horrific circumstances. I guess this makes it all the more difficult to relate to them because I came from such a good home, I provide a stable home for my children and everybody I associate with maintains a stable family life. The children I teach are poverty stricken, abused, neglected, children of drug addicts, children of alcoholics and have parents who are (or have been) incarcerated. Most of my students do not share the last names of their parents and very few come from traditional two parent homes. I think the breakdown of the American family and moral decay in general are behind many of the challenges I face daily. I guess what I'm saying is with all my students are facing, it is no wonder they are full of rage. I'd be angry too if I had to deal with that kind of stuff. To say these children are not equipped to handle these life issues is a gross understatement.

All I can do with these angry children is greet them every morning with a smile and a soft touch on the shoulder. I might be the first (or only) friendly face they see all day. When their anger rears its ugly head, all I can do is respond with a cool, calm tone. If nothing else, I want to teach these children that everybody has problems, but we don't have to yell or hit to solve those problems. That's a tall order. An order that I'm not sure I'm up to. I'm not sure my influence can do much to counteract the culture they live in daily. I can try, but I liken the task to attempting to put out a house fire with a squirt gun. But God has me in St. Bernard for a reason. What that reason is, I haven't a clue. However, I will continue firing my squirt gun until I can squeeze the trigger no more. God be with me. These children need big time help.

Not Forgotten

With all this talk about little baby Elliott, you may think we have forgotten about Sveta. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sveta is still my #1 granddaughter and she still holds that special place in my heart. She always will. Poor Sveta has taken a backseat to Elliott many times the last few months, but she has adjusted well to the major changes in her life.

A few weeks ago Sveta came out with this gem... "We don't do much fun stuff these days!". I'm sure that's how it feels to a five year old who used to be the only show in town and now has to compete with a cute little baby for attention. However, Sveta is not being forgotten by her parents or her grandparents. A few weeks ago her daddy took her fishing. Friday her grandma took her to the children's museum and yesterday her mom took her on a BB Riverboat Cruise with a princess theme. There was a fairy godmother and a bunch of Disney Princesses onboard. Sveta wore her princess dress and came home with a magic wand and a glittery, sparkly face. It is reported she had a great time. I have no doubt she did.

Grandma Heaven

Tami took Sveta to the Cincinnati Children's Museum yesterday. They had a really good time!

See the pictures below to see how we spent our Saturday. Tami summed it up perfectly. She said, "I am in Grandma Heaven!". I can see why...

Next stop.... Million Dollars!

And so it begins...

Early tomorrow morning the first customers of Downsize Solutions will arrive in our driveway to pick up a large load of furniture. They are traveling all the way from Tennessee to spend their hard earned money on Tami's new business. Several hundred dollars today will go toward her first million. More power to ya, Honey!

The Ten Commandments

As most of you know, Tami and I host a Bible study in our home every Wednesday evening. Our little group of budding Bible scholars spent the last several months studying the books of Genesis and Exodus. Once we finished Exodus, we decided to watch Cecil B. Demille's epic 1956 movie, The Ten Commandments. Tonight was that night (we actually started the movie last night and finished it tonight). Although I have seen the movie many times, I am always amazed at the epic tale of the Hebrews' flight from the bondage of Pharaoh in Egypt. God's hand on His chosen people, the nation of Israel, was evident even then. I never tire of this incredible story. Who says the Old Testament is boring? I'll tell you who... those who have never read it... that's who!

Moses the slave

LET MY PEOPLE GO!

The Parting of the Red Sea

The WORD of God

Standing Tall

I'm proud to be an American today. I'm proud to be an American EVERY day. Despite the mess our nation has become, I still believe I live in the greatest nation on earth. Despite a President who never ceases to amaze me with his buffoonery, I still believe our nation is like no other in history and I will remain patriotic until I breathe my last and join my Heavenly Father in my eternal home.

Today as we look back at the cowardly attacks that occurred 12 years ago, stand tall. The terrorists thought they could bring our nation to its knees. They only empowered and emboldened us. America stands tall today. We have our warts, we have our faults and we have a government that is highly dysfunctional... but we are the United States of America!

Treat today with honor and respect. Pray for our military forces and those working to keep our nation safe. Pray for our brave police officers and firefighters serving and protecting without regard for their own safety.

God Bless America!

A solemn day

I don't think I have to remind anyone what tomorrow is. September 11th, 2001 was a dark, grim day in our nation's history. It was a day of unspeakable horrors. A day like we hadn't seen since Pearl Harbor and one we haven't seen since.

Like any American who is old enough to remember, I know exactly where I was when I heard what was unfolding in New York, D.C. and the skies over the eastern U.S. I was in my classroom and someone came to my door and asked if I'd heard what has happening. I indicated that I hadn't and was shocked when I heard the terrible news. As a Social Studies teacher, I wrestled with the decision of whether to switch the TV on or not. Obviously not knowing just how bad things were (at that point, nobody did), I decided to turn on the TV and have my students witness history. As the morning progressed, I was terribly saddened by what was happening. When the twin towers fell, I was sickened at what we had just witnessed. What had I done? I had just exposed 11 year old children to the most horrific event in any of our lifetimes. I had no idea the day was going to turn out like that and at that point it was too late. To this very day, I second guess my decision on that fateful day. Did I traumatize these children or did they get to witness on live television the most significant event in our nation since 1941? I still don't know. I don't think I'll ever know for sure. I have gone back and forth for the last 12 years.

Tomorrow in my classroom we will observe the solemness of the day and offer due respect to our nation. Unlike the day of the actual attack, I will be in control of what my students see and hear. We will cover basics, but will avoid the more graphic details of the day.

God was with us on that day and He still is. May God Bless America!

 

Taken for granted

It's hot out today. Are you thirsty? Go to the kitchen faucet and get a nice drink of cold water. Feel like a nice hot shower? Go into the bathroom and shower 'til your heart's content. Got some dirty clothes in need of laundering? Go to your washing machine and throw in a load. Potty break? Just flush when you're finished. Oh, and of course you'll wash your hands, right? How about a cup of coffee tomorrow morning? Nothing like a hot cup of joe to get your motor going in the morning. Dishes piling up? No worries... just rinse them off and toss them in the automatic dishwasher.

Sounds like pretty mundane stuff, doesn't it? Laundry, dishes, showers and such? All these things seem fairly insignificant until you find yourself without one key component... WATER! That's exactly the predicament my daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren find themselves in. We didn't know it until yesterday, but Jessi and Barry's house is built on a well. No municipal water source for them. The proverbial well has run dry... literally. With the complete lack of rain in recent weeks, the well beneath their house has not been replenished. With no water in the house, all those things I mentioned before... all those things we take for granted because we have an unlimited supply of water, are suddenly impossible for Jessi and Barry. Think for a minute how your life is turned upside down when your water is off for a few hours or even a whole day. Now consider the Mortons have been without water for days and there is no hope of getting it back until there is a significant and sustained rainfall. Looking at the extended forecast, they may be waiting a while. Poor kids!

The kids will get their water back. It will take some time, but it WILL rain again. All this talk about water (and lack thereof) got me thinking. What about those people who live in places where water is never a given certainty? Their search for clean drinking water is an ongoing struggle. There are people living like this... every day. There are more of them than we dare think about. Now consider the blessing you receive from God every day. The blessing you take for granted and never think about until you don't have it. The blessing of limitless, free flowing, fresh, clean drinking water. There are so many blessings like this. Blessings we either don't acknowledge or blessings we don't even recognize as blessings. Thank you Lord for clean water every day. For providing plenty of food every day. For a safe and free country to live in every day. For religious freedom where I am free to read my Bible and attend worship services anytime I wish. Thank you Lord for blessings beyond all measure.

 

More of the same

The Bengals lost today and I'm not in the least bit upset. They lost in very familiar fashion. They outplayed the Chicago Bears in the first half. The Bear's coach made adjustments at halftime, The Bengals coach, Marvin Lewis did not. That's not the only reason for the loss though. The Bengals made some boneheaded plays and committed some foolish penalties. The Bungles were in fine form today. They will win their share of games this year, but they will NEVER make the leap to the next level until Marvin Lewis is gone. In my opinion he is a terrible coach. He has a condescending attitude toward the fans and the media and he is a terrible game manager. But the key here is this... The Bengals lost and I..... Don't..... Care.....!

Tami's Website

In Thursday's post I mentioned Tami's new business. Yesterday the business took another step forward. Downsizing Solutions now has a website. The site is in its infancy, but it IS up and running (and that's the important thing). She is not rolling out the website for public viewing just yet though. There is really not much on it and she wants to wait until it is fully functional before revealing the web address.

Eventually this website will work in conjunction with the auction site Tami already has running. Doggone if this ain't  a bonafide business!

While I'm on the subject... if you have something you'd like to sell (antique, vintage or retro furniture. Household items etc...), please consider allowing Tami to sell it for you. Obviously she takes a commission (it IS a business after all). She'll photograph the item(s), write  a nice description and market it for you. If you have a bottom dollar, she'll honor that and take care of you. She'll never sell something for less than you are willing to take for it. You call the shots and you name your price. There's no risk on your part. You just sit back and collect the money from selling stuff you've been wanting to get rid of anyway.... and you don't even have to mess with moving it!

You can call or e-mail if you're interested. Make some space in your attic, basement or garage and make some extra cash to boot! Sounds great, doesn't it? It is. That's the beauty of Downsizing Solutions. Tami does the work and YOU make the money.

Emotional attachment

Several years ago I made a very important decision. I decided to sever my emotional attachment to the Cincinnati Bengals. Gone are the days of living and dying with every play. No more will I watch in anguish as the Bengals blow another game or make a stupid play. I will no longer wake up depressed on a Monday morning after a Bengals loss. Don't get me wrong. I'm still a fan and I will watch the games. However, I am now a CASUAL fan. I don't bleed orange and black and I refuse to let grown men making millions upon millions of dollars playing a game rule my emotions. If the Bengals win, I will cheer and shout, "Who-Dey!" with the best of 'em. If they lose, so be it. Life's too short to get upset over a stupid football game.

I'm working on making the same leap with my beloved Cincinnati Reds. I am not quite there yet and I still bleed Cincinnati Red. I'm making progress though. The Reds losses hurt a little less these days and I suspect it won't be long before I shrug my shoulders when the Reds lose. Just as it is with the Bengals,  
I am not hanging on every pitch. But I'd be lying if I told you I was completely a casual Reds fan. I'm not, but I'm working on it.

Presenting, "Downsizing Solutions"!

Tami officially opened her own business today. Well, she's actually been selling antique furniture and other household items the last few weeks, but today she officially filed her DBA (Doing Business As) form. She is now recognized as a business in the state of Indiana. "Downsizing Solutions" is an extremely small and limited operation right now, but over time I believe this will grow into a full fledged downsizing and estate sale business. May God bless this new endeavor, Honey!

For those who think this is silly... I would say you don't know my wife very well. When she puts her mind to something, it gets done. When she devotes her time and energy to something, you better believe it's going to be a first class operation. This has been a dream of hers for a long time. Dreams really do come true.

This made my day

I was at work today and received an e-mail from Tami. She simply attached a link to Jessi's blog and said, "If you get time, read this... you'll cry". She was right. It was a post about the Morton family (specifically my grandchildren). I'd try to describe it to you, but I couldn't do it justice. Therefore I am posting the link so you can see it for yourself. You'll see immediately why my eyes welled up with tears of joy and why it made my day. God has blessed my family so much and seeing these two little ones one reminded me of that further.

http://apathhome.blogspot.com/2013/09/beauty-for-ashes.html

Feeling Snug!

I know it's time to lose weight when I have to hold my breath when I bend over to tie my shoes. I know it's time to lose weight when I have to loosen my belt in the car when I drive home from work (just for sheer comfort). I know it's time to lose weight when pants that were loose on me in April are squeezing the daylights out of my midsection. I know it's time to lose weight when I look like I could deliver a baby at any moment or when I resemble a lower case "b" when standing sideways. Sorry... that's probably a mental picture you didn't need. The battle of the bulge is in full swing. I think I'll start... tomorrow.

September=Monday

I saw a poster that quite accurately described my feelings about the month of September.

The poster said September is like the Monday of the school year. You know that feeling you get when you wake up on Monday morning and you're staring down the barrel of a long work week? That's exactly how I feel about September. I feel like there is so much ahead of me and I really don't want to face it. But, alas, I have no choice... Hello, September!

Wake me up

I'm not a big fan of the band Green Day, but they do sing a song that I've always liked. It's called, "Wake me up when September ends". I don't really know what it means, but it doesn't really matter. One line says, "Summer has come and passed" and another says, "Wake me up when September ends".

Today is September 1st and signals the impending doom known as autumn. My dislike for the fall season has been well documented and I won't go into it here. My beloved summer has come and passed and now it's time time for fall and winter. How depressing :-(

Green Day says, "Wake me up when September ends". I say wake me up when the winter ends.