Finally Sold the Car

Well, I finally sold the car! Yeah! Now, my wonderful assistant has something to drive, and I think this will be a good car for her. Drive safely, and just remember, Kinetic Energy (energy of motion) is equal to the velocity of an object squared. In other words, exceeding the speed limit by only a small amount is VERY dangerous. So, obey the laws, wear your seat belt, and be careful!

Rainy Days and Mondays

It didn’t really seem like a rainy Monday, but today was Monday, and it did rain. Alright, I have to admit that was a horrible opening line to the blog, but the title just seemed so good.

Anyway, it hasn’t been that long since my last post, but my assistant Alisha said, “You should post everyday.” That is nearly impossible for me, but I do feel like I should post on here more often. So, here is the next dilemma. What should I post about? I try to find things that I think of are of somewhat interest to others, yet at the same time record our personal adventures as a kind of journal. So here is what is going on today in our little world today.

This morning Cassidy got up and said she had a dream about a rainbow. Then, tonight while Amy was walking, she called and told us to go look outside. A beautiful rainbow decorated the eastern sky. In her dream, Cassidy made a big jump, but did not come down. Instead, she slid down the rainbow as if it were a slide. She found a big pot of gold under the rainbow, and brought some of the gold home to us. I wonder how long we will have to wait for the rest of that dream to come true.

I did my best to get a picture of Cassidy and me with the rainbow. I hope you can see it in the background. It is always difficult when holding the camera in your hand. The second picture was taken later this evening, when Amy got out thier matching night outfits.

Eight's Enough

Well, it is official. Pluto is no longer a planet, at least for now. I have been telling my students for years that it should have never been classified as a planet, and each time they looked at me like I was silly. For those of you who don't keep up with these things, the International Astronomical Union met yesterday to clarify the definition of a planet. Pluto along with an asteroid called Ceres and several other objects are now referred to as "Dwarf Planets." When I asked my students today what they thought about this, one of them said, "I feel betrayed!"

Of course, I just can't leave this post without giving you something more (that's why you keep reading my blog, right?) So here goes:

Pluto was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh. When it was first disovered, people assumed it was much bigger than it actually is. In Greek mythology, Pluto is the god of the underworld--not too fitting for a cold, desolate rock smaller than our own moon. Okay, all pretty boring, right? Well, my dad reminded me that Pluto had actually been mathematically predicted years before its telescopic discovery by an astronomer named Percival Lowell. Now, if my memory serves correctly (and Google says it does), before he made the prediction, Lowell believed the markings he had observed on the planet Mars must have been huge canals built by intelligent beings. H.G. Wells ran with this idea, creating the "War of the Worlds," which would send our nation into panic nearly three decades later with the now famous radio broadcast. I'm glad Percival Lowell was not right about both predictions. I want to believe there is life on other planets, but Mars is just too close! Isn't it neat how so many things in science are related?

Good Start To The School Year

This school year has started off very well. No major problems so far. I have mostly good students, and a few with some strange characteristics; like the one who dresses like a vampire, but even she seems pretty good (although I'm afraid to sit her next to the window where the sun might hit her). Another teacher told me to expect a fair amount of drama in my General Science classes. Not too much so far. Just a girl who came in and laid down in the isle for a while, and one who is scared she is going to have a miscarriage, and seems intent on letting everyone know about it. And then there was the boy who looked directly into the screen projector and temporarily blinded himself. Hmm, what else? I guess that is about it. If those are the only problems I have, it will be a good year!

My student teacher this year is doing a great job. I also have two 6th hour assistants returning this year. They are great too!

Not much else is going on. We are still waiting to hear something about our house. I will try to keep an update on here about that.

Made It Through The First Week

Well, I have successfully made it through the first week of another school year. So far, most of my classes are pretty good. I have a wonderful student teacher, and a great student assistant. If every week goes as smoothly as this one, it will be an awesome year!

Since the last post, I have truly made an effort to readjust my attitude. It has helped. I’m still not happy, but I’m functioning well. I’ve also started trying to look more at the positive things going on in my surroundings. That alone can make a world of difference. Along those lines, I’ve begun to notice the good things that many of my co-workers are doing. The polite “good mornings” and the smiles. I see people working together, and really trying to help each other. We also have a lot of new faces in our building, and it is nice to get to know new people.

Amy also wanted me to let people know that she thanks all of you who called and asked about her. She is doing good. As many of you know, she has been seeing a nutritionist in McCleansboro for some time. She again did well this week. I’m very proud of her for taking such a strong initiative to be healthy.

Things seem to be going slow with the sale of the house. The people who have put a bid on our house still have not gotten an offer on theirs. It is supposedly in a great neighborhood, and priced to sell. They just reduced their price, so hopefully it will move soon. If it does, things will all change for us quickly. We are hoping it will work out just right so we can move out of our house and into the next one. If it doesn’t, we will have to rent for at least a month.

Let me end this post by giving a little Earth Science lesson (don’t worry, there will not be a quiz). I try to encourage my students to appreciate the Earth by letting them know some of the amazing facts about the place we call home.

Fact No. 1--Our planet is positioned at just the right distance from the sun to allow liquid water to exists. A little closer, and it would all evaporate away. A little farther, and it would all freeze. If this were not so, life as we know it could not exist.

Fact No. 2--We have a yellow sun. Some research suggest approximately 80% of the stars in the universe are red stars. A yellow sun supports photosynthesis (the reaction plants need to produce food). If this were not so, life as we know it could not exist.

Fact No. 3--Our sun is just the right size to enable the Earth to rotate at a fast enough speed to have discernable day and night in a relatively quick amount of time, thus preventing a scorched side of the planet, and a frozen size. If this were not so, life as we know it could not exist.

Fact No. 4--Our planet happens to have a solid inner core, and a liquid outer core. The spinning of the outer core around the inner core creates a magnetic field which shields the earth from harmful cosmic radiation. If this were not so, life as we know it could not exist.

Fact No. 5--Our planet has a breathable atmosphere with the right amount of gasses that holds in the heat at night so we don’t freeze, and also protects us from the bombardment of asteroids and comets. If this were not so, life as we know it could not exist.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

----Psalm 19

Careless Words Can Hurt

It is sometimes difficult to defend careless words, especially when those words originate from the hurt and anger that resides deep in troubled emotions. Such is the case regarding the last entry I wrote. As many of you know, school has nearly become a sore subject with me since the close of the last school year. Without great consideration for my words, I referred to a decision I did not like as a “Blatant and personal attack.” I would like to take a moment to clarify my remarks. To begin with, that statement was probably a little harsh. I know deep inside that those who are in this field work for the kids. They are generally not here to beat people up. Unfortunately, I did not fully think about who that remark might offend, and who would take it to be directed at them. For that, I apologize. I still disagree with many decisions made here, but I know the most recent decision was not personal by all those involved.

Hurting people tend to hurt other people. I don’t want my life to follow that creed. So, from now on I’m going to make a more concerted effort to stay focused on the positive aspects of my life and my job.

Many of you know that I listen quite often to Joel Osteen. Although I do not agree with all he preaches, he does have a way of making us think about living a positive life. In the end, it is our choice. We decide how we are going to react to what others say and do. We decide if we are going to give into the negative thoughts. Why hang on to feelings that rob us of our joy?

Again, I don’t agree with much of what goes on surrounding my employment. But in the end, I only have the power to change how I react to it. Perhaps someday I will be in a position where I can make more of a difference. But until then, I’m going to do my best to let go, and instead of becoming bitter, take the high road.

While looking for a quote to end this post with, a simple prayer came to mind. The author was a pastor named Reinhold Niebuhr. According to the research I did, he was also labor advocate during the 1920’s, an especially difficult time. A story I came across reminds me in part to the conversation I had today, which inspired this post:

"He (Niebuhr) tells the story of preaching a fiery sermon against management one Sunday morning, following a round of particular brutal lay-offs and firings. One of his church members, as he left, looked Niebuhr in the eye, and told him of the week he, a manager, had had: having to call people into his office and fire them. The manager was well aware of the families he was hurting, of the lives he was touching. He made it clear to his pastor that this hadn't been an easy or painless task, and Niebuhr realized such situations are always complex, that there are human beings on all sides."

And now, for the prayer:

“God Grant Me The Serenity to Accept the Thing I Cannot Change,
The Courage to Change The Things I Can,
And The Wisdom To Know The Difference.”

---Reinhold Niebuhr

Recapping the Last Two Weeks

The last two weeks have brought lots of emotions. I completed a conference at Rend Lake, made a quick trip to Florida, and made an offer on a house. That should certainly qualify as something, right? Where to begin? Well, let me first start with the Florida trip.

It began about the time that we decided we were not going to take the position in West Virginia as house parents. We had totally decided that we were just going to stay in Mt. Vernon, and I was going to teach another year at the high school. Those of you who don’t read often just need to know that I have become increasingly frustrated with my current employment. Anyway, I was all gung ho to make the best of the situation, when I discovered there was yet one more blatant and personal attack. Long story short, I had put in to teach an extra class and get paid a little more. But instead, they gave that position to a person who has less sonority than I do. What a slap in the face. So anyway, I thought I would look just one more time for another job. In no time at all, Trinity Christian Academy of Deltona, Florida was flying me down and putting me up in a hotel. I could talk for a long time about that experience. I met one of the most interesting people I have ever met in my life. The Headmaster if this school was a retired Lt. Col, who used to fly F-4 Jets armed with nuclear warheads during the cold war. Deltona is about 30minutes from Daytona beach, and about 30 minutes from DisneyWorld. It would be a nice place to live, but unbelievably expensive. I can't see how so many people afford to live there. But in the end, I was not offered the principal position. I was sad, but I know it was meant to be that way. Now, I just have to try to figure out why in the world that all happened.

Not a lot to be said about the Rend Lake conference. Just that it is a good program if we all put forth the effort. And, of course, there is a stipend.

Lastly, the house. We found a cute house out in the Dix/Texico area. We liked it so much, that we put an offer in on it. Unfortunately, the price is not budging much. In the mean time, we are going to see how much it will cost to have a house built that will fit our basic needs.

So what is left to talk about? I’m sure some of you might be wondering if there is anything else that is driving our desire to move. Besides the ongoing frustrations of the job, there have been a considerable amount of family problems. I have purposely not said much about this, although some of you are good at reading between the lines. Just this past month Amy has cried several times. Some stupid stuff, like people toying with her, and rude comments made to her. But the obvious dysfunctions and past ill-treatments are not easy to shake. She is such a trooper. She keeps praying, and believing people will change. This is one of the reasons I love her so much. She has endured enough to destroy some people, and yet she keeps her head up. It makes me ashamed to complain sometimes.

Well, tomorrow we are headed for Splash City (water park in Collinsville). We had hoped to go to Holliday World, but it just never worked out. Splash City is cheaper anyway, and I bet it will be just as fun!