Thursday, March 29, 2007

"I Remember When..."

I am old enough that I remember some of the early TV shows and movies. My father and mother were especially fond of old movies, so I grew up watching right along with them. There was one old movie in particular called "Thirteen Ghosts". It was in black and white, and I could never watch it all the way through, because it was too "scary". I have seen that movie now as an adult (and it has been remade into a modern horror flick), and the original seems so corny to me now as to be laughable. I wonder how I could have ever been frightened by this film.

I think this is a commentary on our society. We seem to have a need for more reality, more blood, more horror, and more violence. Maybe if we could get back to the times when the corny black and white movies were scary again, we could get away from some of the actual violence taking place on our streets.

Something to think about. Take care. Stick

Monday, March 26, 2007

Scratch one more Profession from the list

I now know that I would never want to be a convict breaking rock for gravel. We decided to add two windows into our basement to make two rooms officially bedrooms. My father-in-law and I dug two 5’ deep window wells, cut the concrete with a saw, and broke out the concrete with a sledge hammer to get those windows in place, all in about 5 days. I know I couldn’t have done it without my father-in-law, but I was left to do most of the grunt work by myself, because he was hurt coming in. By Saturday, my hands were so sore that I couldn’t shake hands, or clap, without pain. I can’t imagine doing this job day in, and day out. It really gives me an appreciation for those that do. For those who read this blog regularly—no, we still do not have the other remodel projects done yet. We delayed them to do this job first while we had the help of someone who knew what they were doing.

Take care. Stick

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Throw out the rule Book

The rule in the student handbook for our school says, "No cell phones are allowed in class, and no other electronics are to be brought to school, ie. MP3 players, CD and DVD players , cameras, etc." This is supposed to be the rule. The problem is some parents feel like the rules don't apply to them. They give their little darlings cell phones so, "they can reach them in the case of an emergency". To these parents, it seems an emergency is wanting to know what they want for lunch or dinner. They call their son' and daughters during classes to ask them simple questions, confirm lunch dates, you name it.


Then you have the other teachers in the building. Many of them see nothing wrong with allowing students to use their phones in class, or use the electronics that are not even supposed to be in school. This is totally frustrating! We have rules for a reason, and even if you don't agree with them, we have to live by them to maintain order and discipline--neither of which are present in my school.

So much for my vent. I don't think things will change, but I can always hope.

Take care. Stick.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Dumb and Dumber

I just gave a test to all of my classes today. In preparation for this test, each student was given a study guide containing all of the possible questions that I might ask on the test. This study guide was also to be turned in for a grade, and could be used during the test. All the students needed to do was fill in the study guide during the two weeks we were discussing this section, and they could then copy that answer directly onto their test. I couldn't believe how many chose not only to not do the study guide, but did not even attempt the test. The only way I could have made it any easier would have been to just give them a passing grade without any work.

Hang in there. Stick

Monday, March 5, 2007

For what it'sWorth...

I decided to post another poem/song.

Visions




The new moon rises over the distant ridge,
The clouds run a race across its white face,
Lightning dances on the nearby peaks,
While all around life picks up the beat.

What wonder is reflected upon her face,
An image that is hidden from those around.
What joy comes unbidden to those gathered there,
Though none can tell just what they’ve seen.

A misty scene appears before the seeking gaze,
Visions that none have sought show clear.
Truth, or lies, none who see can say,
While others question everything around.

Their thoughts flow round like water,
Looking for a means for their escape.
They trickle through the cracks in their mind,
Running away as quickly as they came.

The visions fade like the setting sun,
The moon has spent its time aloft.
She sinks into the cold horizon,
While the people seek understanding.

The storm has spent its force and fury,
The lightning rests ‘til the next song plays.
The darkness bleeds into the new day,
Only a few grasp the riddle they’ve been shown.

Friday, March 2, 2007

They come in three's...Watch out!

My sister just wrote in her blog yesterday that she had to change a flat tire for the first time. She Jinxed me! I have not had to change a flat for a while, but yesterday I did. I had cleaned out the bed of my truck to make room for a bunch of garbage from our remodel, then took the load to the dump. When I got there, one of the guys there said that my front tire was going down. I looked at it, then went around to dump my stuff. By the time I went to get back in the truck, my tire was almost completely flat. I limped it on up to the pavement by the dump office to change the tire. I started getting out the jack, when I suddenly realized that one of the things that got taken out of my truck before loading it with garbage, was my lug wrench! I went up to the office, and borrowed their phone to call my daughter who was at home. I asked her to get the lug wrench, and my floor jack and bring them to me. She walked out to the garage while talking to me, found the lug wrench, but said, "The floor jack is covered with spider webs, I'm not touching it!" I told her to bring the lug wrench, and I would make do with the jack I had. She arrived a little while later, gave me the wrench , and then left quickly--Too quickly! I went to get my spare down, and found that it too was flat! By this time it was almost closing time for the dump. I called her to come back down to get me and the flat tire so we could go get a new tire. After I hung up, I went back out, put my flat tire back on the truck, moved the truck carefully to just outside the gate for the dump, jacked the truck back up, and took the tire off again just as she pulled up. After a quick trip to the tire place, and back, I finally got the new tire on, and drove home. My quick trip to the dump cost me $67 and an hour and a half.

The motto--Be prepared! Take care. Stick