No Guns!

Gun free zones. What a joke! As if any criminal carrying a gun is going to respect a gun free zone. It is for the same reason gun control laws won't work. Gun control laws will keep guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens. As always, the criminal element will find a way to get their hands on guns. They always have and they always will.

Gun free zones do nothing to protect the innocent. They only serve to disarm those who have a legal right to defend themselves. Can you imagine the scenario below really happening? Not in a million years! Anybody intent on harming others will find a way to do it. I hardly think they will subject themselves to a background check. They will obtain illegal weapons on the black market, blow right through a "gun free zone" and blast away at anything that moves. Gun free zones indeed!

High schools have also declared themselves drug free zones. We all know how that is working out. Ridiculous!

Happy Teachers

We've joked about doing this to the water cooler at work, but would never actually do it of course. Imagine how much happier teachers would be and how much less stressed out they would be. (see photo below)

Here's a true story as told by one of my childhood teachers (who I also worked with when I was a young teacher and she was in the twilight of her career). Keep in mind this happened in a small school in the 70's. Times were different back then. She told me that when I was in elementary school the kindergarten and 1st grade teachers would bring Bloody Marys and Mimosas to work in thermos bottles on special occasions. The principal was fully aware of this and had no objection to a little bit of booze to take the edge off on special occasions (to my knowledge this was not a daily practice). At first I thought my teacher friend was pulling my leg, but she swore it was the truth. I pondered this for a little while and suddenly some things started to make sense. I remember these teachers being very energetic and always happy. They used to do puppet shows for the kids and they were WILD affairs. These teachers were always loud and boisterous and constantly making jokes to each other over our heads. I'm guessing the jokes weren't G rated either. Now it all comes together and the explanation is obvious. These teachers were half crocked and we kids didn't even know it. But you know what? I'm not condoning the consumption of alcohol on the job (especially when working with children), but I don't think we kids were any worse for the wear because of it. I can't imagine trying to do my job today if I was even a little bit schnockered. Different time. Different circumstances. No wonder my teachers always seemed so happy... they were looped! And all these years I thought it was because they loved their jobs. I was so naive!

Times have changed

My how times have changed! In honor of the big game this weekend, I give you this photo from the very first Super Bowl. It's not just the cigarette and bottle of Pepsi that makes me laugh. Look how skinny and weak this guy looks. Incidentally this is Len Dawson. He was the quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs. Football players today sure look different.

Moving on!

As January comes to a close tomorrow, I arrive at the realization that winter is moving right along. February is the shortest month of the year and after that we are into March... the month when spring arrives! It helps that snowfall has been nearly nonexistent. Having said that, we are in for the season's biggest snowfall this weekend. Get your shovels ready!

Sorry for the incorrect grammar in the graphic below. I didn't write it. I do like the photo though.

Family Tree

I'm not saying my family is crazy, but...

Super Sunday

My interest in NFL football continues to wane. This has been happening for quite a while now and I am pretty sure I know why. You have grown men making zillions of dollars to play a game. Many of these grown men act like preschoolers on a weekly basis. The act is growing very old quickly. I've heard enough about deflated footballs this week to last a lifetime. It seems the same teams win all the time and that gets old too. This Sunday is the Super Bowl. I used to really look forward to this day. Not anymore. The truth is, I'm not even sure I'll watch the game this year. I can't stand the Patriots or the Seahawks. Having no rooting interest in either team (and loathing both of them), may be cause for me to do something else entirely. I'm really becoming disinterested and disenchanted with the whole mess. In this case NFL stands for "Not For Long". As in that's how much longer I will be a fan.

STUBBORN

My wife often accuses me of being stubborn. It looks like I am part of the brotherhood.

Fools

In response to my post a few days ago about silence, I give you this:

Snowzilla!

There is a storm of historic proportions bearing down on the northeast today. Forecasters are calling for snow accumulations measured in feet rather than inches. They are also calling for hurricane force winds. Put this all together and you have a monster blizzard... Snowzilla!

I maintain my extreme disdain for winter, but I am thankful today that I will not be dealing with this terrible storm where I live. I will not be shoveling several feet of the white death off my driveway. I will not be risking life and limb to commute to work. It's cold today and I don't like it, but I also have to be grateful that I am being spared this blizzard.

As winters go, this one has been mild so far. I am truly happy about that. There is still a lot of winter ahead, but we have not dealt with the snow and cold that we dealt with last year. Thank the Lord for small favors!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Social Anxiety

I can't stand crowds. Always have, always will. I will do just about anything to avoid being around large groups of people. I also strongly dislike traffic jams. I will go far out of my way to avoid one when possible. And don't even get me started on the telephone. I hate talking on the phone (especially to people I don't know). This is not normal I'm sure. I am certain I have social anxiety to some extent. I have always known I was an introvert and that meeting new people was really challenging for me. However, I always thought it was "just me". It turns out there are others like me. It's nice to have some company. People still think I'm weird, but at least now I know I'm not the only one :-)

Words to live by

I have always known it is better to keep my mouth closed and have people believe I am a fool than to open my mouth and remove all doubt. I have made keeping my mouth closed into an art form. In fact, you need look no further than the title of this blog to see how much silence is a part of my life. It has been difficult to put my thoughts into words on this topic, but I think the graphic below does a pretty good job.

Words to live by:

Tough week

It's been kind of a tough week. This is how I'm feeling right now.

My favorite word

I have a new favorite word... and it's not even a REAL word. The word is GOPPA. This is the name my grandchildren call me. Sveta called me Goppa before she ever set foot in the United States or met me in person. While she was still in Russia we were on Skype with Jessi and Barry. When we were "introduced" to her, she tried to say grandpa and it came out as Goppa. Thus a nickname was born.

Today there is no sweeter sound than hearing Sveta or Elliott yell my name when they see me. Goppa! Goppa! There is no feeling quite like it when I hear that word.

I've heard it said that a person doesn't know how much love their heart can hold until they become a grandparent. I wholeheartedly agree. I never knew how much love MY heart could hold until I became a Goppa.

I get to see my grandchildren this evening and I cannot wait!

Michael's new job

A few days ago I mentioned Michael’s new job. He has only been at it a few days, so my knowledge is limited. However, here is what I know so far.

Michael is working for Answers in Genesis (The Creation Museum) in their public safety department. He works in surveillance (over 130 cameras), dispatch and employee security (keyless entry cards etc...). Answers in Genesis is a large operation and they have their own police force on site. Being an outspoken, out front, unashamed Christian organization they have to be on alert for any activity that would work counter to their cause (death threats to the director are not uncommon apparently). He will also be trained in all sorts of emergency response and management (bomb threats, terrorism, robbery, criminal mischief, fire etc…) With a museum this size, almost anything could happen. He has only been on the job for two days, but really loves it so far. His criminal justice degree was definitely instrumental in his hiring.

I have no idea if Michael will make a career at Answers in Genesis. At this point it would be impossible to say. However, I can tell you this is a growing organization. They are more than just the Creation Museum. The museum is what they are most well known for, but they do so much more. They have a full time publishing and educational materials department (Including the prominent “Answers” magazine). They have sprawling grounds that include a botanical garden and several zip line courses. They also have an amusement park in their future plans. The point I’m making is this is a growing operation and it seems there will be all sorts of opportunities for advancement in the future. Whether Michael works here for many years or simply uses this as a stepping-stone to the next point in his career, I don’t know. God has a plan for Michael and I am eager to see how it unfolds.

Tami and I are obviously happy he is making a full time salary, but we are happier that the job comes with benefits. He has medical, dental, vision and life insurance. He also has a 401k. In fact, it appears he has better benefits than I do :-)

Above all else, we are thrilled to pieces that he is working for an organization that is Christ-centered and whose main mission is to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to assert the truth of The Word of God. I honestly can't think of a better place for him to be. God has truly blessed Michael to start his career. We are grateful for God’s provision and for His working His plan through our son.

Soli Deo Gloria!

American Sniper

As I mentioned yesterday, Tami and I went to see “American Sniper”. We weren’t originally planning to see it, but when we heard conservatives were touting the content, we knew we needed to go out and support a pro-military movie. We also heard Michael Moore called military snipers “cowards”. That sealed the deal. If liberals like Michael Moore feel the need to criticize a movie, I know it’s something worth seeing.

Upon entering the theater, the first thing we noticed was it was crowded… really crowded. That was good to see. Tami and I found two seats together, but it wasn’t easy. Shortly after taking our seats, something really stood out to me. The theater was nearly full, but it was also quiet. There is usually a buzz of activity leading up to a movie’s beginning, but this crowd was different. There wasn’t much movement and there was even less talking. The quiet-ness was so pronounced that you could honestly FEEL it. Then right before the movie started, a theater employee came in and announced that the show was sold out. I was not surprised as most seats were already taken. The feature began and throughout a very intense movie there was not a sound. You could have heard a pin drop. This was the first time I’ve ever been in a sold out theater and it was also the quietest I have ever heard any movie-going crowd. I truly believe this theater was full of people who understood this was more than a movie. It was a look into what military personnel deal with in combat. There is no doubt that war really is hell. There was an air of respect and awe throughout the entire movie. When the movie ended there was a very small smattering of applause (like, maybe two people). There were some tears, but mostly it was just quiet. As a theater of 300-400 people emptied into the hallway, nobody said much of anything. People just filed quietly and orderly out of the room. It was a very cool atmosphere and maybe even a little surreal. These people “GET IT”. They understand that war is ugly and brutal, but they also understand the necessary evil. Sometimes you have to kill bad guys to protect good guys.

Now, a little bit about the movie itself. I don’t want to spoil anything if you haven’t seen it yet, so I will be vague. The movie followed the life story of Chris Kyle, a prolific Navy SEAL sniper. In fact, Chris is credited with the most enemy kills of any sniper in U.S. military history. The movie is more about the emotional toll (PTSD) of war rather than the combat missions themselves. It also shows how difficult life is for families at home when loved ones are fighting in foreign lands. The movie has its fair share of cursing, but this is to be expected in an accurate depiction of live combat. It also has some blood, but the makers of the movie didn’t overdo it. They showed enough to convey the message of the bloodiness of war, but not so much that it was unwatchable. There were plenty of cringe-worthy moments and plenty of action to keep the viewers on the edge of their seats.

Overall this movie was very well done. It showed how horrible war is, but also why it’s sometimes necessary. Michael Moore says snipers are cowards? I would challenge him to actually watch this movie and make the same claim. I’m telling you now Michael Moore would wet his pants if he faced the circumstances these snipers were in. He would be a quivering mass of jelly cowering in the corner at the first gunshot. Cowards? Hardly!

I encourage all my friends and family to see this movie. Send a message. Let the world know we are tired of liberals bashing the military and any show of force needed to put down evil. The behavior of the crowd in that movie theater yesterday was encouraging. There are others like me who support our troops and still love this great nation. God Bless America!

Soli Deo Gloria!

A Big Day

Today was the MLK holiday. I was thankful to have the day off work.

In an effort to not waste the day, Tami and I went to see a movie. We've heard a lot about "American Sniper" and decided that's the one we wanted to see. We've also heard the liberals hate this movie and are speaking out against it. That's all we needed to hear. We went to support a good, American message. Apparently we weren't alone. This movie is smashing earnings records for openings on MLK weekend. I will give a full report on this movie another day because it deserves more of an effort than I have time to give it tonight. Suffice it to say it was worth the time and money spent.

The other big thing that happened today was Michael started his full time job at Answers in Genesis (The Creation Museum). He is working in the surveillance, security, dispatch department. He thinks he's really going to like it. I will also give a full report on this later. It deserves a blog post all its own.

Both these topics will get the attention they deserve when I feel up to it. Tonight I'm just too pooped to party.

The doughnuts

In yesterday's post I mentioned the movie "Homer and the Doughnuts". It turns out the actual title is simply "The Doughnuts". I've also heard the whole movie is on Youtube. If that's true, you better believe I'm going to watch it. It's only 28 minutes long, but I can tell you it seemed much longer when I was a kid. Somebody online joked that the movie was long enough for teachers to take a cigarette break. There's probably truth in that. I remember walking by the teachers' lounge when somebody was coming out the door and the smoke just poured out of that room. It's funny to think that people actually smoked in public elementary schools, but they did. Times sure have changed.

School in the 80's

Every now and then I like to do a series of posts with a common theme. I'm not doing this to be particularly creative. I am doing it mostly because the information I want to post is too long for a single entry. This series is called "School in the 80's". It will take a look back at my days in elementary and high school from the mid 70's to the mid 80's. We all have memories of school because we all WENT to school.

Before there were copiers, there were ditto machines. Who doesn't remember doing worksheets that had been churned out in purple ink? Remember how they'd always be slightly smudged? Remember that chemical smell? Somebody should do a study on the fluid that was used to print dittos. They would probably find it caused brain damage. That would explain a lot of the behaviors of my classmates.

Remember when watching a movie in school was a big deal? Nowadays watching a movie/video in school is commonplace. It's not even a treat for kids anymore. But when I went to school, watching a movie was a rare, special event. You always knew when the teacher planned on showing a movie. First she had to drag out a projector that was the size of a Volkswagen. Then it would take about ten minutes to take the film (yes, actual film) out of the canister and feed it through the projector. Then the lights went out and you heard that familiar clicking of the film running through the projector. It was so much fun. The films must have been really expensive because our school didn't have that many. I remember watching the same movies over and over. We didn't care though. We knew it beat the alternative of sitting at our desks doing ditto worksheets.

We had one movie in particular that we watched all the time. It was called, "Homer and the doughnuts". In elementary school I know we must have watched it 4 or 5 times a year. Looking back as an adult, I think I know why the teachers showed it so much. I think it must have been the longest movie the school owned and therefore gave the teachers the longest break from the kids. Don't get me wrong. We kids loved it! It was about a kid who volunteers to mind a doughnut shop for a little while. Why an adult, doughnut shop owner would entrust his business to a 12 year old, I'll never know. Anyway, Homer decides to make some doughnuts and the machine goes haywire and uncontrollably pumps out hundreds of doughnuts. In a plot twist, a hungry, rich lady volunteers to help make the doughnuts (I never knew why she needed to help). Meanwhile she unknowingly drops a diamond bracelet into the doughnut batter and it ends up inside one of the doughnuts that are now piled to the ceiling. The rest of the movie had customers eating the doughnuts because a reward was offered for the safe return of the bracelet. This was QUALITY entertainment that never got old. I guess as kids we were okay watching the movie even though we had memorized every detail of it. Ah, school days!

Here are two screenshots from that movie. They are the only two I could find. Google did reveal the movie was made in 1963.

The Prodigal Son

The story of The Prodigal Son is one of the most well known stories in the entire Bible. Even people who are not regular Bible readers know it. In fact, it probably ranks right up there with Adam and Eve, Noah’s ark and Moses escaping Egypt.

It’s the story of the younger of two sons who asks for his inheritance from his father early. His father grants his request and the son subsequently goes and squanders every penny on wild women and raucous partying. When he gets hungry and desperate he crawls back home in shame and asks to be merely treated as one of his father’s servants and not as a member of the family. His father scoffs at the notion of treating his son as a servant and welcomes him back with open arms. On top of that, the father orders the fatted calf to be butchered (a very high honor for the younger son) and served it at a banquet of celebration. Meanwhile, the older, more responsible brother remained home and did everything he was supposed to. Upon seeing the reception his younger brother received, the older brother protested. The father told the older son to “get a grip” and assured him that everything he had was his, but for the moment the wayward son had returned and there would be a celebration in his honor. In other words, the older son was told to get over himself. His loyalty and good behavior would be rewarded. The younger brother was not being rewarded for being wastefully extravagant, but just celebrated because he was back home.

Why am I posting this story? It’s not because I felt the need to share a well-known Bible story. It’s because something happened recently that reminded me of the story.

Two years ago, Michael moved out of the house. He went away to college and I honestly never expected him to live under my roof again (it’s what happened to his older sister). But happily the Prodigal Son has returned. Don’t get me wrong. Michael has not been sowing his wild oats. He has not been living a raucous lifestyle. It’s quite the contrary. While earning an associate’s degree, he has held down two part-time jobs and has been actively involved in church. He also taught a Bible study at the Baptist Campus Ministries at NKU. So, there are very few similarities between the Prodigal Son and Michael, but he has returned nonetheless. We haven’t butchered the fatted calf, but we have definitely had some hearty meals since he came home last week. I think this is the best he’s eaten in quite a while. Beef jerky and ramen noodle soup only goes so far. I think he’s enjoyed the home cookin’ since coming back to the house.

In case you’re wondering, Michael has returned home because it is closer to the Creation Museum where he recently secured a full-time job in their surveillance and security department (but that’s a post for a different day).

It’s definitely good to have him back home. I’m glad to have some testosterone around to balance out the estrogen ☺

I had to do it!

This morning I received a pleasant surprise at work. On the teachers' lounge table was a beautiful sight. Fresh doughnuts! I initially thought I would resist temptation because I am on a diet. Then I saw what appeared to be a doughnut with nuts all over it. I dearly love nuts. I decided to eat a quarter of a doughnut... just a taste to feed my craving. Then it happened... I took a bite and what I thought was nuts turned to be something else. Something delectable and glorious. It was BACON! You heard me, folks. BACON! This was a cake doughnut with maple icing and topped with chopped, deep fried bacon. OH. MY. GOODNESS! The combination of sweet and salty was pure heaven. You know the rest of the story. Yeah, I finished the whole doughnut. I don't regret one bite. Why would I be sorry? We are talking about a doughnut with bacon on it. I just HAD to do it!

This is not the actual doughnut, but it looked a whole lot like this one:

Quadriplegic

I love jokes. I love telling them and I love hearing them. However, I am not one to tell or enjoy jokes that make fun of or hurt people. In other words, I do not approve of jokes that demean a particular religion, race or other subgroup such as handicapped people. With that being said, I question a particular series of jokes and whether they are wrong or not. The jokes in question ask, "What do you call a guy with no arms and no legs" (and then insert a second part of the joke). For example, "What do you call a guy with no arms and no legs floating in the water? Bob". Does a joke like this make fun of or demean people who are physically handicapped? Many people in our post-modern, politically correct world would say yes. They would say how insensitive a joke like that is to a handicapped person. I say no. I don't think the joke is offensive at all. It would be offensive if I said to a handicapped person, "Ha! Ha! You have no arms or legs and I do! Ha! Ha! You can't walk and I can!"

Since I don't find those jokes offensive, here are a few more.

What do you call a guy with no arms and no legs:

floating in the water? Bob
laying on the porch? Matt
hanging on the wall? Art
in an envelope? Bill
on a short pole? Mike
in a pile of leaves? Russell
swimming in the ocean? Ray
sitting on the deck? Ace
in your wallet? Buck
in the mine? Cole
on a bun? Frank
under a car? Jack
in the bathroom? John
on paper? Mark
on his knees? Neil
sitting in the rain? Rusty
at a funeral? Will

And finally...

What do you call TWO guys with no arms and no legs hanging over the window?
Kurt and Rod

Purity

This post is long overdue.

I wanted to share what Abby got for Christmas. First of all, if you know my family, you know we are not really into Christmas gifts. We believe Christmas is about celebrating the birth of our Savior and spending time with family more than giving or receiving presents. However, the reason I want to share Abby’s Christmas gift is because of the meaning behind it and not the gift itself.

Abby received a purity ring from Tami and me. For those not familiar with the concept of a purity ring, it’s fairly simple. It’s a ring worn by a young woman demonstrating a commitment to God and her parents to stay pure until marriage. The ring is worn on the left ring finger just as an engagement ring or wedding band would be. This ring and the principles behind it are not something we take lightly. In fact, we take very seriously waiting for sex until after marriage. The Bible is very explicit about staying pure until marriage. This is not an issue of interpretation. Sexual immorality and fornication are directly addressed and expressly forbidden in God’s Word. Sadly, our children are in the minority in this day and age. The idea of sleeping with one’s boyfriend or girlfriend is not only acceptable, it’s considered abnormal if you don’t. Living with a boyfriend or girlfriend falls in the same category. My family will not give in to the world just because most people think pre-marital sex is perfectly okay. IT. IS. NOT!

My favorite Bible verse fits perfectly in this area. Romans 12:2 says:

Do not conform any longer to the ways of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Indeed the Meyers will not conform to the world. We will follow the Word of God. I am so proud of the commitment Abby has made. It is right in the sight of God.

Here's the ring:

Go Bucks!

How 'bout dem Buckeyes? The Ohio State University Buckeyes beat the Oregon Ducks and won the football national championship last night. Way to go, guys! What's for dinner? Roast Duck!

Go Bucks!

My Winter Poem

This is my adaptation of a poem called, "Winter in Ontario". My version is called "Winter in Ohio". Yes, I know I live in Indiana, but there are more words that rhyme with Ohio than Indiana. Banana, maybe?

Without further ado, here is my ode to winter:

Winter in Ohio

It’s winter in Ohio
And the icy breezes blow
At seventy-five miles an hour
And thirty-five below

Oh how I love Ohio
where the snow lies wide and deep
I step into the drifts of white
And it causes me to weep

Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I’ll hang around
I could never leave Ohio
Because I’m frozen to the ground

It’s winter in Ohio
I’m numb down to my feet
It’s hard to get from here to there
When there’s ice out in the street

Oh how I love Ohio
Where the sky is always gray
I long to see the sun again
But I doubt I’ll see that day

Yes, the weather here is glorious
It chills me to my heart
It’s hard to leave Ohio
When my car won’t even start

Geese

It's not unusual to see a flock of geese flying overhead in these parts. It happens all the time. But today was different... we saw 5 or 6 flocks on our way to church this morning and just as many on our way home. Tami and I were so struck by seeing so many geese that it stirred a discussion. What is going on today that would have so many geese flying in their famous "V" formations? Were they looking for open water when so many bodies of water are frozen over? Were they looking for food? Were they migrating? (A little late to be heading south, don't ya think?) Were weather conditions right for whatever their purpose for flying was? We don't know the answer to those questions, but we do know there were an unusually high number of geese taking to the air today. Did anybody else notice?

For the record--- These were Canada geese. Many people mistakenly call them CANADIAN geese. They are not Canadian, but Canada geese. Don't feel bad if you've made this mistake. A lot of people do. But if you want to refer to these birds correctly, call them by their proper name... Canada geese.

News from the backseat

We've all driven with backseat drivers in the car. No matter who they are, they ALWAYS know how to drive better than you. Who among us haven't heard some of the following?: Speed up. Slow down, you're going to get us all killed. Pass that truck. Why did you turn there? Why didn't you turn there? Why are you getting on the highway? Don't you know it's rush hour? You should stop and ask for directions. Merge! Merge! Merge! Look out! Watch that car! Use your turn signal! Did you even look before changing lanes? The list goes on and on.

One of the worst backseat drivers in the history of automobiles was my Grandma Meyer. She was constantly saying, "Watch it, George!" or sucking in her breath in sudden alarm. She was a wonderful woman, but she would drive anybody crazy as a backseat driver. The funny thing was, she wasn't such a hot driver herself. In fact, she was a much better driver from the backseat than she was behind the wheel.

I thought of my grandparents when I saw the cartoon below:

Staying In!

Temperatures will be in the single digits tonight and wind chills will reach -20.  I've made a decision. I will not go outside until the temperature is higher than my age. My disdain for winter is reaching record levels.

Just sayin'

I'm afraid I have to agree.

What about read and read?

I read a book yesterday.
I will read a book tomorrow.

More Signs

Just for fun... More signs!

FRIGID!

Winter is here! Temperatures tomorrow will be in the single digits and wind chills are forecasted to be -20 to -30. I don't care who you are... That's COLD!

Due to these harsh conditions my school has cancelled classes tomorrow. You may think this sounds ridiculous (and in some respects, it is), but when you take a closer look at my students, it becomes a little more apparent why it is necessary to close the school tomorrow. Earlier this week when the weather was cold (but not nearly as cold as it will be tomorrow), I had 17 out of 45 students wearing short sleeved shirts in class. Additionally, some of these same students wore nothing more than a sweatshirt when they walked to school. Even students who wear appropriate indoor attire for winter still don't wear winter coats and hats when they walk to school. In fact, very few of my students are fully equipped (dressed) for winter conditions in this Cincinnati winter wonderland.

Believe me folks, I've heard the old timers when they put their two cents in. They remember the days when school was never cancelled (no matter how much snow fell). They remember the days when school was never cancelled (no matter HOW cold it got). They look at today's generation as spoiled, weak and soft. And once again, in some respects they're right. However, there are also things that have changed since "back in the day". For starters, there were far fewer cars on the roads years ago. It used to be most families had one car. Today everybody in the family has their own car. My family is the perfect example. Yes, we have four cars. That was not the norm years ago. Back in the day people could generally slip and slide their way to work without dodging thousands of other cars in really heavy traffic. Let's face it. Most dunderheads have no idea how to drive in the snow and endanger the lives of those of us who do. Another thing that has changed is the family unit in general. Many years ago dad went to work and mom stayed home to bundle up the kids for their frigid trek to school. Today (in many cases) there is no dad in the home and mom has to leave early for work. The kids are left alone to feed themselves and to get themselves ready for school. Let's face it... kids left on their own are not going to bundle up with a coat, hat, gloves and scarf to walk to school. And that's assuming they have coats, hats, gloves and scarves available to them.

Honestly, it's a different world we live in today. It's true school would not have been cancelled 30 years ago due to wind chills of -20. It's also true that 4 inches of snow wasn't enough to slow us down 30 years ago (let alone cancel school). Unfortunately we live in a society where people refuse to take care of themselves and we (as a school) have to take actions to protect them from themselves. Don't worry folks, I'm not turning into a Democrat :-) Believe me... if school were to be in session tomorrow, we would have students in short sleeves and sweatshirts walking to school and waiting outside our door to get into the warm building. By the way, the phrase "warm building" is completely relative. My classroom is not exactly toasty and cozy. These children wearing short sleeves in winter are sitting in my classroom complaining about being cold. Sad, but true.

In the end, I get an unexpected day off tomorrow. Thanks to children who refuse to wear appropriate winter clothing (or more specifically parents who don't provide sufficient clothing for their children), I will get a chance to sleep in and stay in my warm home tomorrow morning. And trust me, I will not waste this precious and unexpected gift.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Hole in one

A few months ago a golfer did something that most golfers only dream of... he made a hole in one. As the game of golf goes, holes in one are not as rare as you might think, but it is still extremely difficult to make one. My step dad, Cliff, golfs a lot and has made two in his lifetime. Many, many golfers play their entire lives and never make one. So what's so special about this particular golfer and his hole in one? Well, get this:

A 103-year-old Florida golfer has made history, becoming the oldest person to record a hole-in-one.
Gus Andreone achieved his special feat on “Wacky Wednesday” at the Palm Aire Country Club in Sarasota.
His friends watched in disbelief as his drive on the 113-yard 14th hole on the Lakes Course rolled into the cup.

Wanna know the kicker? This guy made about 8 other holes in one before this one (all when he was much younger of course). But still... 103 years old? Are you kidding me? At 103 most men are either dead or unable to leave their own home. Ol' Gus is out shooting golf and making aces. You go, Gus!

The Doldrums

The dictionary defines doldrums as a state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or depression. This word originates as a nautical term. It’s a place near the equator between the northern and southern trade wind zones. It’s an area where there is not much wind and therefore makes it difficult for sailing vessels to get anywhere. In the modern era of motor powered vessels, the doldrums are not really a problem. Many years ago the only mode of ocean travel was wind-powered ships. When one of those ships entered the doldrums it could be a real problem. Without much wind, ships could at worst be stranded or make very slow progress at best. It would be similar to a gas powered ship running out fuel or being crippled to the point of only being able to limp along.

Why all this talk of the doldrums? It’s not because I am a history teacher and feel the need to educate my blog readers. It’s because I always refer to the months of January and February as the doldrums. Some people call it the winter blues. For me, the doldrums is that part of winter when absolutely nothing is going on. It’s the time after Christmas, but before the weather gets warm enough to do anything outside. It’s a time when it’s dark when you wake up and it’s dark again by dinnertime. It’s a time that even during “daylight hours”, the weather is so dreary and gloomy that is may as well be nighttime. It’s a time of general inactivity and a time when it’s tough to get motivated to do much of anything. It’s a time when the best adjective to describe any day is probably “Blah!”.

So here we are. We find ourselves at the very beginning of the winter doldrums. The most significant news of the day is that we are expecting accumulating snow tomorrow. However, the doldrums do not have to be months of ho-hum activities. The atmosphere is perfect for cuddling, reading and tucking yourself under a blanket with a hot beverage. Personally, I will use the time to get some reading done, read and study Scripture and maybe even get some household tasks done. Regardless, it is not my plan to sit around and allow myself to get depressed and fatter. I plan on being productive and not allowing seasonal depression to get me in its clutches. Who’s with me?

The Grindstone

I won't be posting much today. I hope you'll understand some days I'm just not "feeling it". Tomorrow I go back to work after a really nice vacation. I am not looking forward to putting my nose back to the grindstone. *Sigh*

Belt Tightening

A long while back, Tami and I agreed that we needed to tighten our belts. I agreed fully. However, I think I must have misinterpreted our agreement. She was talking about cutting back on our spending and trying to make our household finances better. I simply put on a bunch of weight and got completely fat. My belt kept getting tighter and tighter and I was really happy that I was keeping up my end of the bargain. Now look at me... my middle-age spare tire has overinflated into something that resembles a tire off a tractor trailer.

I jest of course. That was just a funny way of saying I've allowed my weight to get out of control... AGAIN! Of course I'd love to tell you I just put on a few extra pounds over the holiday season, but that would be dishonest. The truth is, I have been putting on more and more weight over the last few years and I am ashamed of what I've allowed to happen to my body. Believe me, I blame nobody but myself. I have complete control of every bite I put in my mouth and I am fully aware of my extremely poor eating habits. On Monday this will all change. The diet starts then and I am nothing but serious about dropping a bunch of weight.

Full disclosure... when every article of clothing I own either no longer fits or I have to squeeze into it like the last sardine in a full can, I know it's time to act. Don't worry loyal blog readers. I will not be posting daily weight loss totals and will not be reporting what I am (or am not) eating. I will not turn this into a diet journal. Nobody wants to read that and I won't subject you to it. Some people when they go diet crazy like to tell everybody they know all the minute details of the progress of their diet. You won't get that here. Simply wish me well and pray that I have the strength and will power to get control of my weight.

Soli Deo Gloria!

For the graphic below I am pointing the finger at myself only.

Signs

A band called The Five man electrical sang a song called signs. You probably remember it. "Sign, sign, everywhere a sign..."

We see signs everywhere we go, and very often they are quite helpful. And then sometimes they're not.

As if life isn't hard enough...