Donation

In my previous post I mentioned I don't remember much about the morning of my dad's death. However, I do remember one thing and it shows how young and naive I was. Within hours of arriving at the hospital to be with mom, a lady approached our family. There were a lot of people coming and going that morning, so another person didn't seem unusual. I remember her asking mom about donation. I guess I was grief stricken and also tired, because I thought this lady was callously asking for a financial donation to the hospital mere hours after dad's death. Mom told the lady she would think about it and get back to her. When the lady walked away I told mom how appalling and insensitive it was for somebody to ask for a donation so soon. Mom weakly smiled and told me I had it all wrong. The lady was asking about organ donation... not money. I sure felt stupid!
In the end mom told them to take anything they could use. As it turned out, most of dad's organs were unusable because of the leukemia. I know they were able to take his corneas, but I'm not sure about anything else. (Mom, correct me if I'm wrong here. This is all REALLY fuzzy in my memory). I still feel a little silly about thinking the hospital people were asking us for money. Funny how I remember that particular event after 25 years.

Upside Down

We all have a date when our world was turned upside down. For some in the older generation it might be Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. For others it might be the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. For me it was August 31st, 1990. 25 years ago today my dad died at the tender young age of 47. I cannot fathom that dad has been gone that long. When dad was diagnosed with leukemia in October 1989, I was too young, naive and stupid to understand that he could actually die. I really thought he would fight it and the doctors would make him better. He did fight and the doctors did all they could, but less than a year after diagnosis, he was gone. I'll never forget being awakened out of a sound sleep by an early morning phone call from my mom at the hospital. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, but the cold, stark reality of the news quickly brought me out of my sleepy stupor. I remember waking my brother and sister, all of us getting dressed and driving to the hospital. Honestly, I don't remember much else about that morning (or even the subsequent days for that matter). It was a blur then and after 25 years, it's even more of a blur. I may not remember much about the morning he died or the following days, but I do remember this... I knew my dad was too young to die and I didn't have a clue how or why this could have happened.

25 years later I still miss him so much. I wish he could see me today. I have a wonderful wife (who he barely got to know). He met my step daughter, Jessi, a few times, but he didn't get a chance to know her very well either. He never got to see my other two children. He never got to see me successful in my career. He never got to see me in a beautiful suburban home and he never got to see me become a Goppa. There is so much I wish he could see and know about me.

However, above it all, I must remember that dad's death is all part of God's sovereign plan. I have no idea why dad was taken from us so soon, but my small mind is not to question why. Today on the 25th anniversary of his death I will be thinking about him a lot and thanking God for the 23 years I got to spend with him. Those 23 years are just a blip compared to the eternity I will spend with him in heaven. I look forward to the day when I can see him again and let him know that I did okay after he was gone.

I miss you Dad.

Dog Days

Relatively speaking, August has been fairly cool and mild. Most summers August is the hottest, most humid month of the year. Well, here we are on August 30th and the dog days of August have finally arrived. We are in for a week of major heat and humidity... just in time for September.

And speaking of...

And speaking of school... this one really makes you think.

So much is put on teachers to have a positive influence on kids (which we work really hard to do). Parents are meant to have just as much (if not more) influence on their children. It doesn't always work out that way though. At least not with the majority of my students.

Soft Targets

You know what a soft target is, right? A place that's easy to attack because those being attacked are unarmed and defenseless. Schools are soft targets. Bad guys with guns shoot up schools because they know nobody will resist, fight back or be able to return fire. COWARDS!

I know this an unpopular and controversial view, but I think schools either need armed security personnel or teachers packing heat. If this were standard practice, my guess is there would be far fewer people going into schools intent upon harming innocent children. As you can see in the photo below, somebody in Arkansas is already thinking like this.

I would be the first in my school to volunteer to be trained in the use of a firearm. I would not hesitate to eliminate a perpetrator in order to protect my students and fellow teachers. I know the chances of this ever happening are slim to none, but Sandy Hook Elementary School had those same odds. The unthinkable happened there.

Remember... the only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a GOOD guy with a gun.

The Long Haul!

I can tell the diet is starting to go to my head. You know you've been on a diet for a long time when school lunches smell like a gourmet meal. Today I walked by the cafeteria and smelled the school pizza. This is basically a cardboard crust with watery tomato sauce and artificial cheese. It's not exactly what you'd call a high quality pizza. But when I smelled the aroma of that delectable delight today, I thought there was nothing in the world I would rather eat than that cheapo pizza. Obviously it's been a while since I've had anything that would be described as "bad for me". When school pizza is appealing... that's a problem!

The Metric System

When I was in elementary school in the mid 70's, we were taught the metric system. The teachers told us it was the way of the future and we needed to catch up with the rest of the world in out measurement system. Well, here we are 40 years later and I still drive my car 65 miles per hour (no mention of kilometers). I still order a pound of ham at the deli (no mention of kilograms). I still measure everything in inches and feet (no mention of centimeters or meters). I still buy a gallon of milk and a quart of juice. I still say it's hot when it's 95 degrees (fahrenheit), but I still can't tell you what that is in celsius. Do you see what I mean? America still holds fast to its trusty ol' system of measurement.

However, there have been some gains for use of the metric system in the U.S. We buy our soda pop in 2 liter bottles. We measure our medicines in milligrams. We run the 100 meter dash and swim the 50 meter backstroke.

I am happy where we are with our measurement system. I don't see the U.S. ever converting to the metric system exclusively.

The rest of her life

Have you ever heard the saying, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life"? Well, today is the first day of the rest of Abby's life. My baby girl started college today. She is taking care of her general requirements at Ivy Tech and has her sights set on the nursing program at Indiana University. She is very excited to get started and is also understandably nervous. She will do great! She is a conscientious student and really wants to achieve at a high level.

I feel so old today. My youngest child is in college.

Run Goppa, Run!

After our trip to the zoo Saturday, we decided to have dinner out. While waiting for our table, the kids played in a grassy area near the restaurant. Elliott spent the whole time running in circles, but didn't want to hog all the fun for himself. He wanted me to join him. He kept saying, "Run Goppa, run!". I didn't have the heart to tell him the only time Goppa runs is when somebody is chasing him. So what do you do when your grandson tells you to run? You run! I ran in circles until I was dizzy and then stopped. Every time I stopped I heard the same thing. "Run Goppa, run!". That little guys is a bundle of endless energy and his favorite thing to do is run... and he does it a lot. I also realized that dropping 38 pounds does't mean I am still 22 years old. Running is something I don't do anymore unless my grandson tells me to.

"Run Goppa, run!" brought to mind that famous line from Forrest Gump. "Run Forrest, run!"

The Zoo

We took the grandkids to the zoo yesterday (their parents tagged along as well). Sveta LOVES animals and was hard pressed to pick her favorite. She's always loved cheetahs, so I guess that would have been her favorite. Elliott likes animals too, but not as much as trains. No trip to the zoo would be complete without a trip on the train. Elliot's face when the train went fast was priceless. Pure wonder and pure joy. What a wonderful day!

Here we are on the train:

Next stop 40

I haven't eaten anything unhealthy in a long time. I have gone the whole summer without pizza, hamburgers, buffalo wings, bread, french fries, ice cream, cake, pie, doughnuts, fried chicken (or fried anything else for that matter) fast food and many other foods I dearly enjoy. My beer and wine consumption has been extremely limited as well. I won't say I haven't had any at all, but I certainly haven't had as much as I would like. With the diet, the beat rolls on. As of this morning I've lost 38 pounds and I am going to work like crazy to get to 40. I'd like to reach that milestone by the end of the month. That gives me 9 days. The goal is definitely attainable. I still haven't decided if my final goal is going to be a loss of 50 or 60 pounds. I'll know when I get a little closer. Even after losing nearly 40 pounds I still have some flab to eliminate. Sadly that lets you know just how bad I allowed things to get. It does feel good to get that part of my life back under control. I never want to be 60 pounds overweight again. I want to be around for a long time to see my other two kids get married and to watch all my grandchildren grow up.

Just remember the two cardinal rules:

1. Stop eating junk!
2. Get off your lazy butt and move!

It has certainly worked for me!

Look out, 40! Here I come!

A new man

I have to tell you, folks, I feel like a new man today. I just completed the first week of my 26th year of teaching. I know I don't remember them all, but I think this was probably the BEST first week I've ever had. I feel a rejuvenation that I thought I'd never feel again. Teaching these fourth graders has been a real breath of fresh air. These kids aren't out to make my life miserable and they are not out to get each other. Most of them actually seem to still like school (something that is not the case for the sixth graders I taught the last two years). It is such a nice feeling to walk into school and not feel my blood pressure rise the moment I hit the door. I know all my weeks will not be like this and I know my students will have good days and bad days (who doesn't?). But in the big picture of life, this is something I can definitely deal with. I feel like I can actually teach again and not feel like I'm a prison guard. If you think I'm exaggerating, come and witness 6th grade recess sometime. I've never been a proactive person, but in this case I am so glad I requested a transfer to 4th grade. For once I asked for something and it turned out to be the right choice. I hope I get to make a lot more posts like this one. It is so wonderful to feel like I'm actually making a difference.

As always, Soli Deo Gloria! To God alone be the glory!

Mayberry

The Andy Griffith Show. Hands down the BEST show ever on television. Bar none. It was simple, yet brilliantly written and amazingly acted. I have probably seen every episode dozens of times and I never tire of watching them. Ever. Every character was quirky and hilarious in their own right. Who among us can't whistle or hum the opening theme? Why all this talk of the sleepy little town of Mayberry where the most serious crime committed was jay walking? Because the thought below really made me think. Disney World is not the happiest place on earth... Mayberry is and here's why.

Holy Moley!

Ok, I understand how some signs can be misplaced and convey a funny message. However, I really have no idea what happened here.

The right choice?

I know it's only been one day, but early indications say I made the right choice in transferring to 4th grade. My first impression is that fourth graders are more like impressionable children and less like pubescent pre-teens with nothing but hormones and attitude (also known as 6th graders). I'm not saying teaching 4th grade will be without its difficulties (it will have plenty of trials and tribulations I'm sure), but I think the problems will be less severe than those that came with teaching 6th grade. I realize there will be a honeymoon period and some of these little darlings will come out of their shells once they feel comfortable. But for now I think I made a favorable decision. I will certainly report more later as information becomes available. In short, I guess I felt like a new man today. Perhaps this is the rejuvenation I needed to propel myself through the next ten years.

They're coming!

They're coming! Like or not, whether I want them to or not... they're coming. Their arrival is as inevitable as the snows of winter or the rains in the spring. Tomorrow morning at 8:15 a hoard of fourth graders will come bustling through my door. They will be full of spit and vinegar and ready to challenge my authority at every turn. But don't worry, I'm up to the challenge. I'm an old timer and I've seen every trick in the book. Let's do this. Rock and roll!

Here We Go!

This is going to be me tomorrow morning...

Ughhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back to School

I admit it. I confess. Summer is over and I am NOT happy about it. I go back to work tomorrow and I am not going willingly. I am going back to school kicking and screaming (figuratively). It's not just the impending stress I'm dreading. It's getting up early and not having the freedom to do whatever I want with my day. I think that's why I look so forward to retirement one day.

Who Dey!

I got a last minute invitation yesterday to go the first Bengals pre season game last night. Even though it wasn't a real game and the top notch players wouldn't be playing much, I still wanted to go and enjoy a night at the game. My brother Kerry, his daughter Lauren, Abby and I went and had a really good time. Our seats were only 7 rows from the field. I had never sat that close to the action before. To make the evening even more special, this was Abby's first ever Bengals game. She says she spent more time watching the cheerleaders than the actual game. I am happy to report that was NOT the case for me. I kept my eyes on the field where they belonged. All in all it was a fun night. It sure beat the alternative of sitting around the house doing a whole lot of nothing.

Just Go!

This post goes out to my mom. She is a loyal reader of this blog and I know she'll see this. That's the whole point.

Are you listening mom? Ok. Good!

My mom has led a good life up to this point and I expect many more good years for her. She found a wonderful husband after Dad died 25 years ago and they lead a very active life together. In fact, they are so active it's difficult to find them at home in order to drop in for a visit. They also do a lot of traveling including spending about 4 months a year in Florida. So what's the point of all this? Well, as much as my mom has done in her life and as much as she has traveled, there is one place she hasn't been. One place that she has always wanted to go. One place she has mentioned a desire to visit many times in the past... Hawaii.

Okay, Mom. Listen up and listen good! GO TO HAWAII! Yesterday! Not next year. Not, "We'll get there sometime". Not, "We'll get around to it". You have always wanted to go to Hawaii and there is no reason you shouldn't go right away. Please go before it's too late. Please go before you need a walker to visit the USS Arizona Memorial. Please go while you are still young and spry. Please go while you can enjoy everything Hawaii has to offer before you're too old to get there. Please go before you look back and regret not getting there while you could. I know money is not an issue. Stop trying to save something for your kids after you're gone. We don't need it. We're fine. Spend the money and go to Hawaii. Get off the plane and get that flower lei. Go see a volcano. Dance the Hula in a grass skirt at a luau. Try poi. See the beautiful beaches. Marvel at the blue waters of the Pacific. Experience it all. Just go. Do you hear me, Mom? Just go! In thirty years I don't want to be sitting on a beach in Hawaii crying because I know you always wanted to be in that very spot and never made it. There is nothing holding you back. Just go! You have your health. You have time. You have money. You have a willing husband who would follow you anywhere (plus they have really nice golf courses in Hawaii, Cliff!). You have an adventurous spirit. You have everything you need except a plane ticket. Go to Hawaii, Mom. Please. Just go!

Meteor Shower

I spent the last two nights laying on my back, on my deck, in the pitch black of night. Some of you may think Tami threw me out of the house, but you'd be wrong. Tami was out there laying right next to me. Why would we be outside late at night with no lights on? The answer is to do something most people don't take the time to do. We were watching the yearly display of the Perseid Meteor Shower. Every year about this time, the earth passes through a debris trail of a comet. This debris basically amounts to grains of sand or tiny rocks. This debris enters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up before reaching the ground. These meteors (which are mistakenly called "shooting stars") put on a heavenly display that is worth watching if you stay up late enough and have some patience. Every now and then people gazing at the stars will see a random meteor. They are not all that uncommon, but you have to be looking in the right place at exactly the right moment to see them. During a meteor shower you are guaranteed seeing beautiful streaks of light across the sky. Experts say during peak times a person could see up to 50 meteors per hour. That might be true if you are in the middle of nowhere with no light pollution and happen to catch a flurry of meteoric activity. Our experience in the backyard had us seeing a meteor about once every 5 minutes or so. It was a long time to lay in the dark just to see a split second of brilliance, but I did not count it as a waste of time. Sure, I would like to have seen meteors at a faster pace, but the ones we did see were very cool! In total we probably saw a couple dozen meteors, but how often do we really get to see them? It was totally worth it!

Case in point

And speaking of the diet...

This didn't really happen to me, but it does reflect my thoughts at the moment.

Counting DOWN

I've said many times this is not a weight loss blog, but it is a blog for whatever happens to be on my mind at any given moment. Today my diet is on my mind. I have been struggling lately. Struggling with cravings and the desire to eat something that is absolutely horrible for me. Thankfully I am happy to report I have resisted all cravings and temptations to cheat on my diet. I have stayed the course and have pushed through times when I was hungry and there weren't many healthy options around for me. Tami and I always say a diet is a marathon, not a sprint. In a marathon a slow, steady pace is better than trying to finish too fast. The same is true for a diet. Slow steady weight loss is better than dropping a bunch of weight quickly. In a marathon there are times when you feel like giving up and saying the heck with it. The same is true for a diet. Many times I've wanted to say the heck with it and just eat whatever I want. In a marathon there are highs and lows. The same is true for a diet. Today I am thankful for resisting the urge to cheat on my diet. My current weight loss total is 35 pounds. I am now more than halfway to my goal. I have never had an exact total in mind, but the target weight loss is somewhere between 50 and 60 pounds. Either way, I can now start counting down. (For example, I can now say I have X amount of pounds to lose to reach my goal). And as always there are other benefits to losing weight. Primarily it's improved health and the reduction of health risks that come with being overweight. There is also the added benefit of being able to fit into some of my clothes that I was busting out of last year. I am no longer limited to my "Fat Pants" and shirts that hide my protruding gut. I can now almost wear whatever is in my closet. Almost. The closer I get to my goal, the more wardrobe options I'll have.

Today is a good day. I've got my spare tire on the run and I plan on eliminating it completely. The middle age spread will soon be a thing of my past and I hope I never have to deal with it again.

Now if you'll excuse me. I have some rabbit food to eat for lunch.

This Old House

Tami and I recently watched an episode of "This Old House" on PBS. Master carpenter Norm Abrams seems to work magic on his woodworking projects. We spent most of the episode saying, "We could do that if we had the right tools" or "He makes it look so simple, but look at the tools he has at his disposal". I have spent most of my life trying to do jobs with inadequate tools and sometimes the wrong tools. It seems like every time something needs to be fixed, I end up needing some tool I don't have. Maybe one day I will have all the toys, uh I mean tools I need.

Tick-Tock

As I type this post, I am sitting in my empty classroom. Things are eerily silent right now, but I know this won't last. In less than a week, a bunch of wild and rowdy 4th graders will come busting through my door. I will be attempting to get them to sit quietly so they can learn. They will be resisting me at every turn. It's the struggle I face every year (and on a daily basis). For all intents and purposes, my classroom is set up and ready to go. Now all that is left is to plan my first week's lessons and be ready to do my job. My summer vacation is in its twilight and I can feel it gasping for breath. The clock is steadily ticking toward Monday morning when year 26 of teaching at St. Bernard Elementary begins.

Things change

I received word last week that the first principal I ever worked under (Mr. Delk) passed away. He had been battling Multiple Sclerosis for a long time, but I was still surprised and saddened to hear of his death. This news caused me to take a serious look back at my 25 year teaching career and I was shocked at how much things have changed. When you work in the same building for that long, things seem to change very slowly or even not at all. But the more I reminisced, the more I realized how drastically things have changed. I have now moved into my fifth classroom. I have taught four different grade levels in my career and I am getting ready to work under my fourth principal. Several thousand students have come and gone and many colleagues have come and gone as well. The neighborhood where I grew up and where I now teach is unrecognizable to me. What used to be a stable, middle class neighborhood, is now anything but that.

Yes, things certainly have changed. Even though I haven't necessarily noticed it was happening. I can't begin to imagine what things will look like 10 years from now when I retire.

Tami hit me

Tami hit me today. Most of you are probably thinking, "Well, I'm sure you deserved it!".

So, what did I do to warrant a wallop from my wife? Did I snap at her? Did I look at another woman? Did I lie to her? The answers are no, no, and no. In fact, would it surprise you if I told you she hit me while we were sitting in church? It's true. I was sitting quietly, listening to the sermon and following along in my Bible. I was totally absorbed in the message when suddenly Tami slapped me in the arm. My first reaction was to question what I had done wrong. If a guy sitting in church reading his Bible gets slapped by his wife, there is no hope of ever staying out of the doghouse. My startled look must have been comical. My questioning look must have said, "What in the heck was THAT for?". Her answer was simple... "Mosquito". Apparently there was a vicious, bloodsucking insect about to make a meal out of me right in the middle of the sermon. Without any warning, Tami eliminated the threat. I was thankful, but her swat on my sleeve about scared me to death!

So, all hope is not lost. I did not do anything in church to deserve a smack from my loving wife. She was merely squashing a mosquito... with force!

Can you relate?

Can you relate? I sure can! In the grocery store or in Wal-Mart, some people are either completely oblivious or totally self-absorbed. Either way, people need to pay attention to what's going on around them and have some consideration for others. The world would be a better place if they did.

Swimming

Spent the day swimming with the grandkids. We are thoroughly worn out. We had a blast and the kids did too. It was a great day for hanging out by the pool. Too tired to post much else. More tomorrow.

I Don't do Fridays!

I don't do Fridays!

As you know, I have spent a few days this week preparing my classroom for the upcoming school year. However, I decided to take today off. There is no way I am going to voluntarily work on a Friday. The only time I work on Fridays is when I am contractually obligated to do so. I am dedicated to my profession, but I draw the line at working on a Friday when I don't have to.

I will be hard at it again next week. I will take one more Friday off and then it's full speed ahead on Monday the 17th.

Backward

This bothers me more than it should. There is something so wrong about French's Ketchup and Heinz Mustard. Some things need to be left well enough alone. Don't mess with my condiments! Heinz needs to stick with making ketchup. French's should stay with mustard. What's next? Hellmann's salsa? Tostito's mayonnaise? My world is upside down right now.

Zzzzzzz

I have always had the ability to fall asleep very quickly. Tami has always been amazed that I could fall asleep without so much as a thought going through my head. I don't know how I do it. I do not consciously force thoughts out of my head in order to go to sleep. I guess I just don't lay awake worrying about things that are out of my control. Tami and Abby both describe their heads as very busy places. Places under a constant bombardment of thoughts. I don't know if it's a male trait or just something unique to me, but either way. I enjoy the luxury of being simple minded. I don't view being called simple minded as an insult. It's true and I am proud of it. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go to sle....... zzzzzzzzz!

I'm Back...

I'm back! But I don't wanna be.

I went back to school today (unofficially). I am in the process of preparing my new classroom and preparing to teach a new grade level. My real first day (officially) is a week from Monday. I have another week and a half of freedom and then it's back into the fire.

Please pray for me as I embark on this next leg of my teaching journey. This change was self-imposed and if things go awry, I haven't anybody to blame but myself. In a twisted sort of way, I am excited about this change. I am eager to get back to teaching Ohio history and U.S. history, but I'm a little nervous about teaching kids two years younger than I have been used to. If nothing else, it's going to be an interesting year.

School Food

That's it. It's all over. The end of the line. Summer is over :-(

Tomorrow I start getting my classroom ready for the upcoming school year *sigh*.

Education and students aside, one of the biggest challenges for me at work this year is going to be continuing my diet and maintaining the results of the hard work I've done this summer. It has been difficult losing thirty pounds. It would not be difficult to put those pounds right back on.

The teachers lounge is notorious for always having snacks and treats available. As a "stress eater", I am known to frequent the lounge and eat even when I'm not hungry. I need to change this habit. To combat the urge to consume cake, pie, doughnuts, chips and every other snack known to mankind, I have devised a plan of action. Have a nutritious breakfast (oatmeal or whole grain cereal), low calorie snacks and a sensible lunch. Avoid the junk that is always laying around. Planning ahead is the key here and that's exactly what I'm doing. I've sacrificed too much this summer to give it all back.

And speaking of food... teachers are extremely generous with food. I know in some work places there are problems with people stealing food. They are known as refrig-a-raiders. In fact, in some places it is such a problem, it inspired the invention seen below. Thank goodness this has never been a problem at my school. I can't imagine someone stealing another person's food. How low can you get? If you want some of my leftover lasagna, just ask. I'll give it to you. No need to raid it from the fridge.

Hungry

This diet is making me hungry. Maybe I need some steak to satisfy my hunger. Perhaps a little protein will do me some good... and a Diet Coke.

The Hole

For the last three weeks my pool has been losing water. Lots and lots of water. At first I wanted to blame it on hot, dry weather leading to evaporation. However, I had never before lost water at such a fast rate with mere evaporation. I knew there had to be more to the story and it involved something I didn't want to think about... a hole in my liner. Puddles of water and mushy ground at the edge of my pool confirmed what I didn't want to face. There just had to be a hole.

Today I decided to suck it up and go on a search for a breach in the liner. It was a hot day and I was going for a dip anyway. I donned my SCUBA mask and started a slow, tedious scan of the bottom of my pool. Looking for a hole may sound easy, but I assure you it's not. To start with, I have a liner with a pattern in it (everything in the print of that pattern looks like a hole). To compound the problem, every speck of dirt, every leaf particle and every dead insect (yes, bugs sometimes get in the pool) looks like a hole. Long story short... my quest was NOT in vain. After a long afternoon of holding my breath on exploratory dives, I found the source of my leak. It was indeed a puncture in my liner. It was a crescent shaped hole about a quarter inch in length. When I put my finger on it I could feel suction (a sure sign water was leaking out of the pool). Although I can't say for sure, the size and shape of the puncture would indicate the culprit was possibly somebody's toe ring. I'll never know the true cause and in the end it doesn't really matter.

Can a hole under water be repaired? If so, did I get it repaired? The answers are yes and yes. Thank Goodness I had a vinyl pool repair kit on hand. A vinyl patch and some stuff that resembled rubber cement (It's called a wet patch) patched the hole in short order. Only time will tell if the repair holds. I'll know the repair was successful if my water level doesn't drop and if the muddy ground outside my pool dries up. I'm fairly confident the patch did the trick. It was an adventure today (one I would rather have not endured), but all's well that ends well.

It's always something! Sheesh!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my wonderful and beautiful wife! Even after all these years she's STILL older than me. Hmmm... guess I'll never catch up to her :-)

Pass The Salt

And speaking of kids not listening... I know I've discussed this here before. Kids are becoming more and more absorbed in their technology filled, social media driven world. You can't go anywhere without seeing a kid addicted to his/her phone. These kids have completely tuned out the world around them and they are missing SO MUCH! It's quite sad, and frankly a little frightening. I read something the other day that said distracted driving (i.e. texting or being on the internet) will soon surpass drunk driving as the number one cause of automobile accidents. I believe it too. I always look at other drivers on the road and the number of people using their phones (not talking on the phone, but texting etc...) is staggering. It's scary out on the road anymore.

Check out this video to see an illustration of how times have changed. Pass the salt indeed!

Listen!

Today begins the not-so-anticipated month of August. I will not spend my time on this blog lamenting the impending doom of the beginning of the school year. However, it does bring to mind one universal truth I've learned in my many years of teaching. Children... Do... Not... Listen... Ever!!!!!!

To be clear, I am referring to my students and not my own children. Although my own kids have exhibited either an inability or unwillingness to listen on many occasions as well.

I have spent my entire career teaching children who ignore me, give me a cursory listen or treat my lessons with downright disdain. There is rarely a time when I say anything in my classroom where I don't have to repeat it. All teachers (no check that, all adults) know the world would be a better place and life would be so much easier if kids would just listen.

The graphic below would be perfect if I could change it to read, "If at first you don't succeed, try doing it the way your teacher told you to in the beginning". I would TOTALLY hang that up in my classroom.