Bon Voyage'

This will probably be my last post before vacation. For those interested, Tami and I will leave tomorrow morning for Charleston, South Carolina and our ship leaves port on Sunday afternoon. We cruise all week and return to port Friday morning. We will drive back to Lawrenceburg on Friday and get home very late Friday night.

Abby will be staying with her big sister for the weekend. She will be staying with a friend close to home for the weekdays because she has school.

Bon voyage', everyone!

P.S.

I hope you all don't get withdrawal symptoms from being without my blog for a week. I will post again next Saturday.

It's a trade off

Monday is Opening Day in Cincinnati. For the first time in my life, I will be missing the Opening Day game of my beloved Cincinnati Reds. You all know of my deep love of baseball and it takes a lot to tear me away from the local quasi-holiday known as Opening Day. What's keeping me from it? My spring break cruise of course. I am not complaining mind you. Given the choice between Opening Day with the Reds or a cruise with my wife, I'll choose my wife every time. I'm not saying I won't try to find a sports pub on board to sneak a peek at the score, but I won't be glued to the TV if I find a broadcast of the game.

The Reds play 162 games in a season. Luxury cruises don't come along very often. The decision was a no brainer. Go Reds! I will be rooting for you from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

One of the good ones!

The last day at school before spring break is a difficult one. I'm sure that's no surprise to anyone. However difficult it may be, it's tolerable because spring break is getting closer by the minute.

The grandkids are coming over tonight as well. Their parents are going out for a much needed quiet dinner and we are watching the kids. Any day that involves my grandchildren is a good day. Tami spent the morning child-proofing the house because Elliott learned to crawl this week. His newfound mobility makes his visits much more labor intensive. I predict a tired Goppa and Grandma tonight. I also predict an early bedtime. I have a date with my recliner and I intend to keep it.

This is one of those good days.

One to go

It has been a TOUGH week. The last week before spring break always is. The students sense a weeklong break is close at hand and they also know the teachers are not-so-patiently awaiting the vacation ahead. But... just like a sharks, the students taste blood and are getting whipped into a feeding frenzy with only one day to go. Also like sharks in a feeding frenzy, the students are not easily contained. The best a teacher can do in times like these is to work hard to keep a lid on things and come back after the break refreshed and ready to hit the books again. I will do my best to get some teaching done tomorrow, but the day will most likely feature a battle of wills. My will is to teach, the students' will is to resist everything I throw at them. Guess who's gonna win? I'll give you a hint... don't bet on a bunch of 12 year olds.

It's that time!

You have heard me mention the OAA before. The Ohio Achievement Assessment is the standardized test given to all elementary students in Ohio. I have bemoaned this test ad nauseam on this blog. My life at school over the next 5 weeks will be all about preparing for that two hour test. I mean every lesson and activity will be dedicated to test preparation (Including many rounds of practice tests). Sound boring? It is (for the students AND me). I think the picture below sums this up quite well. It's meant to be humorous, but it's humorous only because it's true.

And it continues...

The calendar says spring, but the weather outside says winter.

With .8 (that's eight tenths of an inch) of snow today, the winter of 2013-14 is now officially the 3rd snowiest on record. With another half inch this winter it would be the second snowiest, but I hope we don't make it. This most recent snow also gives us 40 days of measurable snowfall. Measurable snowfall is .1 inches or more. 40 days sets a new overall record for Greater Cincinnati (the previous record was 39 days). This is not a record I was happy to witness, but alas we have been forced to endure it.

The Magic of Coffee

All is right with the world today. After being deprived of our life-giving coffee on a cruel Monday, my teaching partner bought a new coffee maker and brought it to school today. It was quite the event as we watched in eager anticipation as the first pot brewed this morning. Even some non coffee drinkers popped into my classroom to see what all the excitement was about. The new coffee maker created quite the buzz (no pun intended). We all laughed at how pathetic we must be if we get whipped into a frenzy over a $20 coffee maker. We also agreed it doesn't take much to make us happy. A hot cup of java makes all the difference in the world. It was a good day :-)

A rough start

This is the last week of school before spring break. That in itself is a challenge. Mondays are always difficult. The Monday before spring break is extremely tough. With all that being said, I walked into my classroom this morning and found that my coffee maker went on the blink. Dealing with this day was going to be hard enough. But doing it without coffee? That's just plain wrong. Then to add insult to injury, the bulb on my Smartboard exploded this morning (literally exploded--- there was smoke and everything). That may not sound like a big deal, but I use the smartboard for every aspect of my teaching. Now I'm really working behind the eight ball. Today I am a caffeine deprived teacher without my most utilized tool. I should have stayed in bed.

The Rusty Trap

When I was younger my mind was like a steel trap. I remembered everything... and I do mean everything! I never wrote anything down. Never missed an appointment and was never late to anything. Not to brag, but my mind was really sharp. In the last few years I've noticed a slight slip in the sharpness of my mind. I'm not exactly forgetful, but I do forget a lot more things than I used to. I'm not really concerned about this and I attribute this slip to the aging process and nothing more. I guess that steel trap is getting a little bit rusty.

Getting Older

My father-in-law sent this to me today. I don't claim it as my own work, but it is funny and quite true. I'm getting older, but I'm not a senior citizen yet. Even at the young age of 47, technology has long since passed me by. I can only imagine what it's like for this old guy...

Subject: Why at 78 yrs., I don't belong on face book

Should I Really Join Facebook? (Priceless)

Read it all the way through! It's a good laugh! AND really quite true!!

A good laugh for people in the over 70 group!!!

When I bought my Blackberry, I thought about the 30-year business I ran with 1,800 employees, all without a cell phone that plays music, takes videos, pictures and communicates with Facebook and Twitter. I signed up under duress for Twitter and Facebook, so my seven kids, their spouses, my 13 grand kids and 2 great grand kids could communicate with me in the modern way. I figured I could handle something as simple as Twitter with only 140 characters of space.

My phone was beeping every three minutes with the details of everything except the bowel movements of the entire next generation. I am not ready to live like this. I keep my cell phone in the garage in my golf bag.

The kids bought me a GPS for my last birthday because they say I get lost every now and then going over to the grocery store or library. I keep that in a box under my tool bench with the Blue tooth [it's red] phone I am supposed to use when I drive. I wore it once and was standing in line at Barnes and Noble talking to my wife and everyone in the nearest 50 yards was glaring at me. I had to take my hearing aid out to use it, and I got a little loud.

I mean the GPS looked pretty smart on my dash board, but the lady inside that gadget was the most annoying, rudest person I had run into in a long time. Every 10 minutes, she would sarcastically say, "Re-calc-u-lating." You would think that she could be nicer. It was like she could barely tolerate me. She would let go with a deep sigh and then tell me to make a U-turn at the next light. Then if I made a right turn instead. Well, it was not a good relationship...

When I get really lost now, I call my wife and tell her the name of the cross streets and while she is starting to develop the same tone as Gypsy, the GPS lady, at least she loves me.

To be perfectly frank, I am still trying to learn how to use the cordless phones in our house. We have had them for 4 years, but I still haven't figured out how I lose three phones all at once and have to run around digging under chair cushions, checking bathrooms, and the dirty laundry baskets when the phone rings.

The world is just getting too complex for me. They even mess me up every time I go to the grocery store. You would think they could settle on something themselves but this sudden "Paper or Plastic?" every time I check out just knocks me for a loop. I bought some of those cloth reusable bags to avoid looking confused, but I never remember to take them with me.

Now I toss it back to them. When they ask me, "Paper or plastic?" I just say, "Doesn't matter to me. I am bi-sacksual." Then it's their turn to stare at me with a blank look. I was recently asked if I tweet. I answered, No, but I do toot a lot."

P.S. I know some of you are not over 70. I sent it to you to allow you to forward it to those who are.

......Not me I figured your sense of humor could handle it....

We senior citizens don't need anymore gadgets. The TV remote and the garage door remote are about all we can handle.

The Death of Winter!

I'm not a sadistic person, but I'm okay with watching the death of winter. Die winter! Die! Here's the video marking the official end of winter and the beginning of spring.

People Change

I must be growing up (some might say, "Finally!"). This year for the first time since I was a teenager I did not fill out a March Madness bracket. Also for the first time I do not have a bracket on my refrigerator to track the progress of the tournament. In fact, other than checking in on UC, Xavier and Ohio State (they all lost their first game), I haven't even bothered to look to see who's in the tournament. I used to run a tournament pool at school too. I did it to generate interest and break the monotony of work. I didn't even do that this year.

I'm not sure if I'm growing up, if my interests are changing or if I've just lost interest entirely. It doesn't really matter... the fact remains March Madness is going on and I don't really care. Strange how something that used to get me so fired up doesn't even cause me to feel the slightest flutter of excitement anymore.

The world didn't end

When I got home from school today I found that our internet was down. No problem... I can wait. It should come back up soon... right? I'm still waiting... It will come back up any time now, right? I'm still waiting... is it time to panic? No, not yet. The internet will be back online soon. Is it back on yet? No? Okay now it's time to panic! How can I live without the internet? How can I check the news? I can I check the scores of the NCAA tournament? How can I check my e-mail? How can I type a blog post? Oh my goodness! This is terrible! I need the internet right now!

Okay, maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration... but I think you get the idea. Once you get used to having internet access, it's a bit unsettling when it disappears... if only for a little while. Tonight the internet was only down for 5 hours, but it might as well have been 5 weeks. The wait seemed endless. In reality being without the internet for 5 hours is no big deal, but that's easy to say now that it's back up and running.

It's amazing

I'm sure all you loyal readers are tired of hearing me talk about the weather. You know... complaining about winter and crowing with excitement over the arrival of spring. Well, I won't give you a weather report today, but all of this talk about weather did get me thinking. Isn't it amazing how much our lives are affected by the weather? There's a reason retirees flee the winters of the north to enjoy the warm sunshine of the south. There's a reason about a third of the local news is dedicated to weather forecasting. There's a reason we get depressed when we haven't seen the sun in weeks. There's a reason old people sit around and talk about the weather. That reason is simple... the weather affects every aspect of our lives. It affects our mood. It affects our daily activities. It affects decisions we make. It affects absolutely everything. So the next time you think the weather is just a mundane part of our lives, remember how much it affects.

Welcome Sweet Springtime

It has been a long, difficult, brutal, grueling winter. HAS BEEN! Past tense! Winter is gone and spring quietly made its entrance today amid very little fanfare. But make no mistake... spring has definitely sprung! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Life comes anew and hope springs eternal! I always think of my Dad on the first day of spring because he always quoted this silly little poem (I think it's by Ogden Nash, but I'm not sure).

 Spring has sprung. The grass has riz. I wonder where all the birdies is?

 The first day of spring also makes me think of this hilarious and classic clip of Barney Fife singing in the choir. I know you all remember the song...

Welcome sweet spring time we greet thee in song!
Murmurs of gladness fall on the ear.
Voices long hushed now their full notes prolong
Echoing far and near.

Can't you just hear Barney's loud, nasally voice filling the room? This is quite possibly one of the funniest moments in TV history. Anyway, I do say welcome sweet spring time! I have waited oh so long for your arrival. Life is getting better folks. It won't be long and I will be mowing the grass and taking the cover off the pool.
  

Finally!

FINALLY! At 12:57 today spring arrived. I am so happy to see winter go. How happy? See the photo below:

The Cruise Table

Some people call me quirky. Some believe I'm a little bit strange. Some think I'm downright weird. I gladly accept all those labels. Why? Because I am!

There are lots of reasons people think those things about me. I can sit and study maps for hours. When eating a meal I eat one thing at a time (all my meat, then all my carrots, then all my potatoes etc...). I have to sit in the same pew at church EVERY Sunday. I get my hair cut every 5 weeks to the day... without fail.

And then there's the Cruise Table.

The Cruise Table is a card table we set up in the living a couple weeks prior to a cruise vacation. The purpose of the Cruise Table is to collect all the items and materials we need to pack for our cruise. If you were to walk into my living room right now you'd see a table holding various clothing items, passports, cruise documents, lanyards, medications, sunglasses, toothbrush holders, sunscreen, toiletries, phone chargers and many other items needed for a luxury cruise to the Caribbean.

I know it seems crazy. Why don't we just pack for a vacation like everybody else? Because I'm Mick and I'm quirky. That's why.

We leave in ten days. The Cruise Table will get loaded with more and more stuff leading up to the day of departure. I'm not trying to rub my cruise into anyone's face. I'm just excited and seeing the Cruise Table in the living room makes the cruise a reality.

Six more days of school and ten days overall. I can't wait!

The Grandma of the future

When I was growing up, both my grandmas were stereotypical, old lady grandmas. One knitted blankets, the other liked to crochet. Both liked to cook, although only one was actually good at it (Sorry, Grandma Meyer, your cooking was terrible... Spaghetti O's is not considered a side dish). Both Grandmas did regular old lady, grandma things. But that was then...

And this is now...

I think Grandmas today are a bit different. I mentioned in a previous post that I don't view my Mom (the grandmother to my kids) as an old lady. She doesn't do typical grandma things. My mom likes to go line dancing (a lot!), likes to bowl, likes to party with her friends and even plays video games (she's in a Wii bowling league in Florida). Talk about a modern Grandma of the future!

I consider Tami a grandma of the future as well. She doesn't do typical old lady things either. Heck, she's still a young woman! She doesn't knit, doesn't play BINGO, doesn't belong to a bridge or garden club, and doesn't sit in a rocking chair. She's definitely a 21st century grandma. She has a Kindle and laptop computer. Surfs the net, sends e-mail and has a Facebook account. She does some shopping online and does all of her banking online. This is not your grandma of days gone by. No sir! Tami is a cool grandma of the times.

And speaking of grandmas of the future, I leave you with this modern Grandma:

Going Green Part 2

In case you need further proof of my stance in my last post, I offer you this. I had a child in class today who removed his green t-shirt (he had another shirt underneath) and spent the better part of two hours wrapping it around his entire head. He literally piddled away a two hour class period by playing with his green t-shirt. Why didn't I ask him to stop you ask? Good question. I did ask him... many times. He refused. What do you mean he refused? How can a student just refuse? More good questions. However, if you have to ask, you probably haven't been in a public school classroom in a long while. Short of pulling the shirt off his head and ripping it out of his clenched hands, he was not relinquishing that shirt. Don't get me wrong. As a teacher I am not beyond forcing something away from a student. But this particular student has (get this, folks) "Anger Problems" (translation= this child can do whatever he wants with NO consequences). If I had forcefully taken the shirt, this child would have thrown a monstrous tantrum and physically destroyed my classroom. Don't believe me? He's done it several times before. Tipping over desks, tipping over chairs, throwing books off of shelves, throwing books, throwing pencils etc... Sometimes a teacher must decide if letting a child play with a t-shirt for two hours is worth it or not. That's not the mountain I wanted to die on today.

Now you tell me, folks. Is it worth allowing these kids to "celebrate" St. Patrick's Day by wearing green? Unfortunately I have to say no. You may ask, "Isn't that punishing the masses for one kid?" "That doesn't sound fair." You would be right, but the fact is I only reported the extreme case of my day. Honestly the behavior of the 6th grade in general was not good today. This is usually the case when the students are permitted to dress differently than usual. If my goal is to teach (which it is), then I'd have to veto any special days. I know, I know... I'm such a hard case.

Going Green

Today is St. Patrick's Day. It seems like everybody is wearing green and Irish for a day. I have nothing against St. Patrick's per se', although any holiday whose main focus is blatant drunkenness isn't exactly my cup of tea (or pint of Irish ale).

Just like most schools, our students were encouraged to wear green today. In most schools this would not be a problem (i.e. distraction or reason for anything to be out of the ordinary). However, at my school, anything that deviates from the norm or takes the students out of their routine, can be (and usually is) a problem. Today is no exception. I have only one student that didn't wear green today. Despite being forbidden from doing so, the other students keep pinching her anyway. It's been kind of tough to teach when every so often I hear, "OW!". I don't even have to ask what happened... I already know. The poor girl who wore red today got pinched... AGAIN!

This is why I am considered a Scrooge (or whatever the St. Paddy's Day equivalent is). If it was up to me, I wouldn't advertise the wearing of green. I wouldn't have a problem with kids who did, but I certainly wouldn't encourage it. There are some out there who may say I'm a big ol' fuddy duddy for this kind of thinking. I know it sounds crazy that simply wearing a green shirt could cause such a stir, but it does. When the wearing of green causes major interruptions to learning and disrupts the school day, perhaps it's time to rethink these types of "celebrations". If these kids could wear green and have everything else go on as normal, it would not be an issue. But folks, it is an issue. What would you do in my position? Suck it up and take one for the team for the day? Or would you put the clamps down on such practices? I know I'm getting old and it wouldn't be the first time I've been called a party pooping stick-in-the-mud, but hey, it's tough enough getting these kids to learn without all this green nonsense. Agree or disagree? You won't hurt my feelings... I promise!

Better than expected

Tami and I went to see Abby in "The Music Man" last night. I have a confession to make. I was expecting the show to be sub-par at best. I will be the first to point out I was wrong (although my wife is usually the first one to point that out) and I was definitely wrong. The show was really good. Unlike some other high school performances I've sat through, this one was very entertaining. A true pleasure to watch. Of the three musicals Abby has been in, this one was by far the best. Off all the plays Abby has been in, "The Music Man" is second only to "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". The only part I found disappointing was the barbershop quartet. However, to the boys' credit, barbershop music can be difficult to sing for inexperienced singers. They made a fine effort and it did not detract from the show one bit.

All in all it was a good show and a fun evening.

Bravo, Abby! Bravo!

There's more to life

Have you ever watched "Whose Line is it Anyway?". It's a very silly show where comedians are given scenarios and they have to improv on the spot. The show is hilarious and I'm always amazed at how quickly these people think on their feet. However, this post is not about that television show. I only mentioned it because the graphic shown below is from that show.

This post is actually about the content of the graphic... Standardized Testing. During the spring, schools all across Ohio give the OAA (Ohio Achievement Assessment) to students in grades 3-6. These tests are aggravating on so many different levels. The stress levels of the teachers go through the roof because of these tests. This is because my evaluation as a teacher (i.e. whether I'm deemed a good teacher or a bad teacher) is based on these test results. Never mind the fact the students couldn't care any less about these tests. Even best case scenarios involve students who give a mediocre effort. Worst case scenarios have students resisting the test, sabotaging the test or even refusing to take it at all. My performance as a teacher is based on test results from students who start life behind the 8 ball and honestly don't give a hoot about the test at all (or their education in general for that matter). Teachers nowadays are also being encouraged (and in some cases required) to have students work in cooperative groups and/or with a partner. Yet when it's time to take the OAA, the students work alone. It hardly seems practical to have students working in conjunction with other students all year, then having them fly solo for the test. Teachers are also required to differentiate instruction. This is a fancy way of saying that kids learn in many different ways (auditory, visual, body-kinesthetic...) and teachers need to take into account many different learning styles when planning and teaching lessons. Yet when it's time to take the OAA, there is no differentiation at all. Hence the name STANDARDIZED test. Imagine this--- Ok, Johnny. We know you learn best by listening (auditory) and your teachers are going to take that into account when they teach you this year. But when it's time to take the OAA, that all goes out the window and you have to do the paper/pencil test which favors the visual learners. Sorry about your misfortune, Johnny. Good luck on the test though. My reputation as a teacher depends on it. Please understand there may be a bit of exaggeration there, but I believe you get the idea.How can we differentiate instruction, but administer tests in a standardized form? Is this really the best way to measure and gauge what students know or what they can really do? I don't think so, but there are a lot of smart people making tons more money than me that seem to think this makes sense. What am I missing here?

Meanwhile, I will bang my head against the wall attempting to prepare my students for a test they don't want to take, that won't necessarily reflect what they know or what they can do. A test that will ultimately decide if I've done a good job or not. What the world doesn't know is this test cannot show what I do on a daily basis. This test will not reflect that every day to my students I am a: teacher, peacemaker, therapist, psychologist, judge, mediator, father figure, disciplinarian, encourager, nurse, bully stopper, tear wiper, hugger, food provider, bruised ego fixer, cheerleader, protector, tutor, and in some cases the only person that will tell them the truth (even if it hurts).

No folks, the OAA will not measure that. It will only show that my students may or may not be able to read a poem about birch trees and realize it's really about an old man pining for the days of his youth. It's by Robert Frost in case you were wondering. It will show that my students may or may not be able to read a lengthy passage and answer difficult questions about it. I'm not diminishing the skills needed to be good readers and writers. Those things are important. However, somebody needs to take a look at the big picture. There's more to life than a two hour test. I have a student whose mother is gravely ill and may not live through the weekend. How do you think she'll perform on the test? Sorry folks, trick question... the answer is, "WHO CARES!". Many children are dealing with some extremely tough life circumstances. Performing well on a two hour standardized test may not be high on their list of priorities. These are not excuses for these children, but just a glimpse into their reality.  

We Got Trouble!

The Wells-Fargo wagon is a comin'. Professor Harold Hill has blown into River City and he has brought a boatload of Trouble (with a capital "T") with him. Actually it's East Central High School in St. Leon, Indiana and their spring musical, "The Music Man".

Abby will be performing in her sixth high school play this weekend and I am very eager to see it. The Music Man is one of my favorites and I am curious to see how these kids pull it off. I should probably mention one of the reasons it's one of my favorites because it has a barbershop quartet in it. You all know my love for barbershop music, right?

Anyway, it's going to be a fun show and I am excited to see the culmination of Abby's many hours of hard work at her rehearsals.

Special Delivery

Look what arrived by special delivery today. Jessi and Barry opened the box and look what was inside!

WWW.25years.com

The Internet! The world wide web. The information super highway. The web. The net.

It doesn't matter what name it has... it turns 25 years old today. The internet has more than revolutionized life. It has made maps, phone books, newspapers, magazines, mail, letters, encyclopedias, atlases, almanacs and a million other things obsolete. We pay our bills on the internet. We check the weather, track storms on radar, check movie listings, shop for gifts and even order pizza on it. The internet is AMAZING. It's difficult to imagine life without it.

For my kids and grandkids who have never known life without computers, e-mail, iPods, laptops, tablets, iPhones, Smart phones, Androids, and the web itself...I can't wait to blow their minds when I tell them I'm older than the internet.

And to think... I was so excited when my family got a cordless phone. My how times have changed!

In the dark!

We had quite the adventure at school today. The power went out for about 45 minutes this morning. You haven't lived until you spend nearly an hour in a dark classroom with a bunch of 6th graders. Most of them took the opportunity to pretend they were scared to death (fake screams, fake crying etc...). Many of them used the cloak of darkness to do things they KNEW I couldn't see. Some of them asked ridiculous questions. As if my job is not stressful enough, trying to maintain order in the dark made it about ten times worse.

Just imagine this:

Student: Mr. Meyer, why did the lights go out?

Me: I don't know. I'm not sure. They will come back on soon.

Student: Mr. Meyer, when are the lights coming back on?

Me: I don't know. I'm sure they're working on it.

Student: Mr. Meyer, I'm scared of the dark.

Me: Go sit by the window. There's plenty of light there.

Student: Mr. Meyer, when are the lights coming back on?

Me: I already told you. I don't know. I'm sure it won't be much longer.

Student: Mr. Meyer, may I use the restroom?

Me: Yes, but it's very dark in there.

Student: Mr. Meyer, when are the lights coming back on?

Me: For the third time... I DON'T KNOW! Please be patient. It won't be much longer.

Student: Mr. Meyer, what are we going to do about lunch?

Me: I have no idea. I'm sure the lights will be on by lunch time though.

Student: Mr. Meyer, when are the lights coming back on?

CRAAAAAASSSSSSSHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!--- (Sound of teacher jumping out the window)

False Hope

It's nearly 75° today. The sun is shining and there is a nice breeze blowing. I have the windows of the house open trying to get some fresh air into the house and air out the winter stink.

It's supposed to snow tomorrow :-( That's why I thought this graphic was so appropriate.

Chicken!

"I want chickens". It's a simple enough statement. One I didn't give much heed to at the beginning. I thought she was joking at first, but the more she talked about it, the more I realized she was serious.

Tami made that statement and she wasn't talking about frozen chicken from the grocery store. She was talking about real, live, clucking, egg laying chickens. I think I scoffed initially. The exchange went something like this:

Tami: I want chickens.

Me: Ha! Ha! Yeah, right!

Tami: I'm serious. I want some chickens.

Me: Ummm... Ok. Really? Why?

Tami: I don't know. I just think it would be fun.

Me: Okay, but I don't think our Home Owners Association would allow it.

Tami: Well, that's fine, but if we ever move I want chickens.

Me: You got it!


I have no doubt that if we ever move into a different house, we will definitely have chickens. I know this because Sveta saw some chickens at the Creation Museum last summer and ABSOLUTELY LOVED THEM!

I really don't know if we'll ever really have a chicken coop in our back yard. But I do know there is a movement out there that is getting more popular all the time. Back yard chickens are not as uncommon as you might think.

I'm no preacher

Tami and I had an interesting experience today. Instead of heading home after church for an afternoon nap, we went to the Western Hills Retirement Center and led a church service for about a dozen elderly people. That's right, folks... just the two of us :-) We are part of a group from our church who take turns conducting the service each week. Today was our first time. Tami was in charge of music and I was in charge of giving the message. Before you start feeling too impressed, my "message" was only about 5 minutes long. Tami, of course, was stellar in the music leading duties.

We arrived a few minutes early and greeted the early birds. Slowly the rest of the group rolled in (literally rolled in as most were in wheelchairs). Once everybody was in the cozy little chapel, we introduced ourselves and chatted with the residents for a few minutes. We opened with a prayer and then sang 3 hymns. After the hymns it was time for my message. I spoke about the parable of the sower from Matthew 13. I basically read the scripture and gave a very brief and very basic explanation of the parable. I learned one very important thing today. A preacher I am not. I'm not even very good at pretending to be one. I know my pathetic little message wouldn't win me any awards, but I know it was a blessing to the residents and that's what is important. I told Tami I knew they weren't expecting Billy Graham and surely weren't surprised by my un-Billy Graham-like message. I closed my little talk by telling them they were the lucky recipients of my first ever sermon. I'm not so sure they felt lucky. I think if they could have caught their breath, they may have booed me out of the pulpit (no,just kidding).

All in all things went well and it was a pleasure to bring a little bit of church to some elderly residents of the Western Hills Retirement Center. I'm not sure when our turn comes up again, but I'll be ready with an even better message the next time.

Boing!

Don't forget to spring forward! Clocks ahead one hour tonight. Welcome back daylight savings time. Spring is getting closer by the minute...

The Small Things

It's been a grueling week at work. A number of tough days with students coupled with some long hours made for a very long and very difficult week. But today things are looking up! It's nothing earth-shattering and it's the small things that have made the difference. In fact, the small things in life make me the happiest.

Today my students were relatively well behaved and my Friday was the least stressful day of the week. When school was out, I walked outside to a warm, sunny and beautiful day. 60° and sunny is incredible medicine for a weary soul. On the drive home I opened the sun roof, put the windows down, donned my shades, cranked up the stereo and had a gorgeous drive home. When I walked in the door I found that my wonderful wife had purchased some of my favorite adult beverages and put a few in the freezer. They were the PERFECT temperature and quite deliciously refreshing. What a great way to start my weekend!

It doesn't take much to make me happy. These small things have me feeling like I could conquer the world today.

Hand-Me-Downs

When I got home from work today, we loaded up Jessi's old bedroom set and delivered it the Mortons new house. They aren't officially moving in until Saturday, but we made the delivery today. This bedroom set originally belonged to Sveta's Momma, was passed down to Abby and now has been passed down to Sveta. This is the third girl that will get good use out of this bedroom set. It's an exciting time for the Morton Family and we are happy for them. Their house is beautiful too. I can't wait to see it with all the furniture and furnishings in it.

A teacher's wishes

As a teacher with nearly 25 years experience, I'd love to tell you I have had a positive impact on all my students. The truth of the matter is I haven't. It's not for a lack of trying though. The vast majority of students I teach have emotional problems or are just very needy (not just monetarily). I work hard every day to try and meet the needs of those students, but I am only one man and I can only do so much. Some students, no matter how hard I try, will not and cannot be helped. Lord knows this breaks my heart. Try as I might, some kids are just not receptive to the help I offer. Some teacher friends and I have a saying. It goes something like this, "We can't save 'em all!". Please do not take this as teachers giving up on kids. We don't ever, ever do that. But to help a student, the student must also do some work of their own. Too many times this is a one sided proposition. I'm glad to help any student, but they have to meet me half way. Maybe not even half way... just take a step in my direction. That's all I need. Make a small effort and I will do the rest.

The graphic below doesn't really relate to this topic, but I did find it mildly amusing. I was picked on in school (when you're 4'9 as a freshman, you become an easy target) and some of those tough guys don't have the best of lives today. I don't wish ill will on anyone, but Proverbs says we reap what we we sow. The bullies made their beds and now they have to sleep in them.

The end is near

Could this be it? Winter's last gasp? The death of one of the longest, most brutal winters I can recall? My hopes are soaring for that today.

By Friday the weather is supposed to be 50° and sunny. Mild temperatures are in the forecast for the foreseeable future. The official beginning of spring is 17 days away. Things are most definitely looking up. Even if we get another cold snap, it will be short lived. Daylight savings time begins Sunday morning which means it won't be getting dark until later in the evening. The winter funk is fading and good times are ahead.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Number 4

We're number 4! We're number 4!

The winter of 2013-2014 is now officially the 4th snowiest on record. With several weeks of winter remaining, it's likely this winter could move up on the list of record winters.

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the top four snowiest winters in Cincinnati are as follows:

1977-78... 53.9 inches
1976-77... 47.3 inches
1950-51... 46.3 inches
2013-14... 45.8 inches so far

As you can see, we are only half an inch from the #3 spot and 1.5 inches from #2. This means we are only one significant snowstorm from the second snowiest winter on record.

You know what's depressing? I've lived through 3 out of the 4 snowiest winters in Cincinnati since they started keeping records in the 1800's. Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!

The sky is NOT falling

In honor of last night's Oscars, I give you this:

And the award for most scary alarmist snow reports goes to... Cincinnati weather reporters! (crowd erupts in applause).

On Friday local weather reporters were forecasting the worst storm of the winter. Mind you, this has already been one of the worst winters in Cincinnati history. So the worst storm of the winter definitely caused some raised defenses. The initial forecasts were for 6-12 inches. EVERYBODY RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! By Saturday the forecast had been downgraded to 4-8 inches. EVERYBODY PANIC! By Sunday, after yet another downgrade, the snowfall totals were expected to be 3-6 inches. EVERYBODY RUN TO THE GAS STATION AND GROCERY STORE!

After all this hype and after the alarmists had calmed their britches, we ended up with about 2.5 inches or maybe 3. A shoveler of a storm at the worst and a nuisance at best. No big deal at all.

In the end, the sky was NOT falling. Now what are we going to do with all that milk, bread and cheese we bought? Oh well, at least the gas tanks in the cars are full.

This is going to hurt

"This is going to hurt me more than it's going to hurt you!" Any child who ever received a spanking probably heard those words or something similar. As a child that sounded utterly ridiculous to me. How can I be the one getting my hide tanned and have it hurt my mom or dad more? Now as an adult and parent the true meaning of those words are obvious. Spanking kids is one of the most difficult, yet beneficial things a parent can do for their children. Spare the rod, spoil the child. Proverbs 13:24. As a father, I always tried to discipline my children in other ways before resorting to spanking. However, there were times my kids would try to exploit my hesitancy to spank them and would force my hand. Sometimes it was the only way. I don't regret it and if you ask my kids after they are completely grown, they will surely tell you they are no worse for the wear. And truth be told... I can count on one hand the number of times any of my kids received a spanking. The threat of the paddle was usually enough of a deterrent.

When I was kid my dad used his belt on us kids. Just like me, the number of times my dad had to actually use the belt could be counted on one hand. All he had to do was clasp his hands over his belt buckle and he struck the fear of God into us kids. I think this is my earliest memory of prayer. I thought calling on a Higher Power was the only thing that could save me. There were also the times when Dad unbuckled his belt and whipped it out of his belt loops in one fluid motion. He held that belt up like a snake handler and it was then you really knew you'd had it. I didn't know it then, but I know it now. Dad didn't want to use the belt on us. If he wanted a certain behavior to stop, the threat of the belt was usually enough to modify the behavior. He was much smarter than he looked.

Mom on the other hand didn't use the belt. She either used the classic line, "You're gonna get it when your dad gets home" or she grabbed us by the short hairs on the backs of our necks. Truth be told, having that hair pulled hurt much worse than a few lashes from the belt.

The point in all this is not to paint my parents as dishing out cruel and unusual punishment. It's quite the contrary. I'm glad my parents used corporal punishment (spanking) and I am glad I used it on my own kids. Many problems with kids nowadays stems from their parents not being parents. Many parents would rather be friends with their children. It's much easier that way and parents think they're doing their kids a favor. I'll put this bluntly... THEY'RE NOT! Your kids do not need you to be their friend. They need you to a parent. Not necessarily a domineering, dictator of a parent, but a loving parent willing to sternly and appropriately discipline their children for their own good. Do you disagree? I will only ask that you look at kids 30-50 years ago compared to kids today. Notice any differences? I'm guessing you do. What has changed? Simple... 30-50 years ago parents were not friends with their children. I'm not telling you what to think, but I am asking you to look at the facts and decide for yourself. You be the judge. Me? I choose the old ways. They worked.

Butchering

Remember my post a few days ago about the butchering of the English language? The more I look for it, the more I see it. It seems like slang, lazy speech and grammatical errors are everywhere. I think there are many reasons for this slow, painful death of the English language, but I won't get into them here. You probably have a good idea of what they are anyway. Have a look at the sign below. When I see stuff like this it doesn't give me much hope for a revival of the language.

I have not heard it all

I've been a teacher for nearly 25 years and I often think I've heard it all. Then something happens that quickly reminds me that I have not heard it all. Yesterday two boys in my class were arguing about whether Louis Vuitton lives in St. Bernard or not. One boy claimed he had seen ol' Louis in the barber shop and the other boy strongly disagreed. Louis Vuitton, a world famous designer living in St. Bernard? Now that's a new one on me! Come to think of it, I think I saw Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Pierre Cardin having lunch at Chili Time.