The Clock is Ticking

Looking around the web this morning, I've found some stones--precious, semi-precious, and pebbles. Here's what I've seen so far:

• This could honestly be the worst picture I've seen of Brittany Spears. She looks like a fat cow. No, no..wait...THIS is the worst one I've seen. Really, people, what were we thinking?
• The link on the MSN site said "Hasselhoff Injures Arm While Shaving." First thought--WTH? Honey, you've been doing this awhile, haven't you learned yet to shave above the collar bone? Then you read the second paragraph. That's right, folks, only in the second one do they tell us what really happened.
• LOVE this blog: Writing on the Moon. Already on the BlogRoll.
• You know, the proper way and when to display the U.S. Flag was always taught in my elementary and middle schools. Why don't kids have any clue anymore? Is it not P.C. to teach it anymore?
• Finally, someone has reported on the changing face of NASCAR. I told you people it wasn't just for rednecks anymore.
• LOOK! Two reasons to visit Amsterdam.
• Most places just put a bunch of nails on flat surfaces to keep pigeons away.
• How would you NOT know THIS until you were awake?

Okay, on that note...I've got to put this away. That's just too much for me this early in the morning.

Posing

Went running around with my mother the other day. I can't remember what all we did, or even what we were talking about. How sad is that? It was only a couple of days ago.

Actually, I have good reason not to remember. Sitting at the Sonic, waiting on our drinks, she got me. I don't remember how we got around to it. Somehow the conversation had something to do with me being the product of my parents. That's when she got me.

"You know, you come from good stock."

Uh-huh..I was aware.

"Chicken stock."

Damn. Rarely does she zing me like that. I like to think it's because I think too fast for her.

Apparenty, I was slow that day.

My friend over at In the interest of... put up a post the other day that's been making me think. Damn, I kinda hate it when people do that to me. But, if anyone was going to do it, he makes the short list of those I don't mind so much.

All this thinking has stuck two things right smack in the middle of all my other thoughts. First, this Nickelback song Photograph. I like this song a lot, so it's okay that it's been running through my head non stop since Saturday. And I think it's funny that a lot of my students--I teach high school--don't like it at all. In fact, it's "stupid." I tell 'em everytime "you're just not old enough yet to appreciate it. They didn't write the song for your age group, it's for mine."

It's also sparked some (nonfiction) writing. So...here it is. Be honest--but be polite. I don't share my writing with just anyone.


I grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. My parents still live there.

My mother would kill me if she knew I’d told you that.

Maybe I should explain. In my hometown, there is no “wrong” side of the tracks. There’s the side where everything is—grocery stores, banks, fast food joints—and the side where everything isn’t. It just happened that way, no particular reason. I grew up on the empty side.

When I was little, and the world consisted of school and the neighborhood, I didn’t notice or care. Kids are like that. Sixteen year olds are not. Suddenly, upon reaching that magic freedom age, the world multiplies in size. And living on the “wrong” side crimps your style. Inevitably, the people you want to pass your time with aren’t over “here.” No, they’re over “there” - with stuff to do and knowing glances.

Life lesson number one—you need to figure out on which side the world says you’re supposed to be. You don't have to agree, of course.

So, thanks to my friend over at In the interest of... I've beend doing a lot of thinking. This song keeps coming to mind.

Words house meaning within their mouth-feel.

Possibility
delightful delicacy.

Depravity
illicit indulgence.

Mindful perception,
attraction?
aversion?
on the tip of your tongue.



This week's Poetry Thursday topic can be found here.

Ack...It's been almost 4 months since I posted anything here. Since I'm really, truly, very serious about writing...damn it, I've got to do it.

So..here we go.

Found a neat blog site. Poetry Thursday. It's a site that is dedicated to encouraging people to read and share poetry. Could be an original piece or someone else's published work (with copyright concerns being addressed, of course). I'll be participating every week by writing. I used to write poetry constantly, some of it was even pretty good. Let's see if I can accomplish that again.

Ha.

I didn't get to spend today with my dad. He had to work, so I spent the day with mother and the Old Dog. We slept through a movie and then made red velvet mini-cakes (from scratch) for all of us.

I did, however, have some time to think about other fathers in my life. They aren't my father. Aren't even old enough to be my father, but I happen to think they are very good men and pretty damn good fathers. So...a note to all of the fathers in my circle of friends:

EQ
Beej
TM
and (the newest one) Bubba. (Who's bouncing baby boy opted to arrive 2 months early so he could make Mother's AND Father's Day this year rather than wait another 10-11 months for the next one to come around. This might be a sign of what's to come, you know?)

I know each of these people to be good at being men. They have that peculiar notion that you do what you say you'll do (I say peculiar, because it seems not all men have that) and I imagine this goes triple for anything involving their children. They've pushed themselves to be what they should be, upright and real adults. They are the kind of men that any child should consider themselves lucky to have as a father--I know I would have.

I have only one piece of advice for each of you. I actually gleaned it from the sermon this morning, but it's important. It was pointed out that children are most definitely products of their parents, and build their ideas and beliefs about life and faith from what parents teach and show them. We are who we are because of (or maybe in spite of) our parents. (I know, I know, you know this already, but bear with me.)

This is especially true when you look at their concepts of their fathers and of God. God looks a lot like "daddy" (or "grandpa") to lots of children. The characteristics and behaviors children associate with their fathers, they often associate with God. A loving father transfers into a belief in a loving God. A mean and vengeful father transfers into a fear of a vengeful God.

If I could ask any one thing of the fathers I know, it would be to foster a perception of a loving God in your children. I know you may already be doing this, but don't ever give your child reason to question you love them, and they'll have a much harder time questioning that God ever could. You're their first, best hope for knowing Jesus.

Okay, stepping away from the pulpit. Just know this, all of you--my life is better for having known each of you. I love you all, and pray for you and your families each day.

Happy Father's Day.

I love Sunday mornings. It's the only day, darn near every week, that I can guarantee a lazy start to the day. Even in the summer. They're beautiful.

I've been watching a lot of movies lately. Some I rented, some I've seen in theaters. Here's my take...

Aeon Flux: Weird show. I gather (now) that it has roots in some MTV cartoon series. It's an interesting story line, certainly keeps your attention, what with all the stunts and fighting. But, honestly, I give it a C+.

An Unfinished Life: The Jennifer Lopez/Robert Redford pic. It also has Josh Lucas in it, who is my current celebrity crush. Good movie, maybe a little contrived, but not bad. Beautiful scenery (and I don't just mean Josh *wink*). All in all, an A-.

Glory Road: Wow. This movie was amazing. I really enjoyed it. It's a great story, and I tell you what, just good stuff. The way Don Haskins chose to run his team in the '60s is an example of how things should be...but, sadly, aren't. A+.

The Break-Up: Hm..it was okay. Not worth the ticket price, and I even went to the matinee. Seems a little disjointed and rough-shod. I've seen both of them (Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn) do much better movies. B

The Lake House: I LOVED THIS MOVIE. Definitely buying this one when it comes out on DVD. Yes, you have suspend reality for a little bit, but isn't that why we watch feature films--to escape reality? But, wow, I really wouldn't mind a relationship that builds like that (minus the 2 year difference, of course). I saw that John Cusack was the first choice for the male lead. Thank goodness he turned it down, Keanu is definitely much better suited. And it's a PG movie--with Keanu Reeves in it. These don't come up very often. A+

What's everyone else been watching?

Turned on the news this morning (note, it's only 5:43 at this point, and I've been up for nearly an hour. Wonder Dog had a nightmare and woke me up with his "scare the crap outta Mommy" bark).

Immediately, immediately, realized I had the wrong news show on. I never watch the NBC affiliate in the morning. The regular guy on there bothers me. I think he's plastic. I always watch the CBS one, I like those people better.

Anyway, blonde chick on NBC hit on 2 of my pet peeves in roughly 45 seconds. First--perky morning people. You can be bright and warm in the morning and not be perky. This is not cheerleading, you know? It's the news and you're talking about a auto-cow accident on the freeway. Come on.

Other thing--she pronounced a pretty well-known word. At least I think it is. In a report about a demonstration at a major Civil War battlefield site over the weekend, she mispronounced the name of the site not once, not twice, but 6 times. SIX TIMES.

Tell me, how do you pronounce the word "Antietam?" Take a wild guess how she did.

Got a bit freaked out this week. I found TWO black widow spiders in my entry way. I'm so glad that I saw them before the Wonder Dog did. As little as he is...well, that would've been bad. Did you know they bleed black? If it's not black, it's a really, really dark red.

Saw the video for Mary J. Blige's version of U2's "One." I missed her performance at the VH1 awards back in the spring, sometime. Seems like I remember Q blogging about it and he was singularly unimpressed, if I remember correctly. I have to tell you, I was too. The video includes U2. Even starts out with backlit shots of Bono singing. (I got excited, I really like this song and haven't seen a video for it in years). Then she starts singing and.....well, yeah. Sure.

I don't watch music videos very often. Generally, my trouble is that I don't have time in the mornings, which is apparently the only time VH1 or MTV (other than TRL) show videos. (I have to say, I'm pretty convinced both of those are the music stations for people who don't like music. It's way too easy to catch them showing something other than music.)

I like Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie." The song's fun, the video's fun. I like that she's not all made up like she usually is. I don't like that she doesn't credit the dude from the Fugees. That's just wrong.

Kelly Clarkson. I really don't like her. I did at first, when she first was doing stuff after American Idol (which I don't watch). She's turned into this trendy/tragic thing since. The music's ok...though how many times can you really repeat the same lines over and over (and over and over) and call it a song?

So, I'm thinking about moving my blog. I've got a site thing at Google, tied to my Gmail account. Kinda thinking about consolidating.

We'll see, keep you posted.

This is fun one I found over the weekend. Makes a pretty colorful image, if nothing else.

Read this, then answer the question at the end of my post.

Probation for short sex offender sparks debate


2 things about this story really weird me out. Can you guess what they are?

So, I spent last weekend in Georgia for my brother's graduation with his Ph.D. in Chemistry. Had a great time.

Also spent 5 days in my mother's company. Now, I love my mother, but I haven't spent 5 straight days in her company since I moved out in March, 2001. It was difficult to hold my tongue a few times. I have a top 5 list of my favorite quotes made by my mother that over the weekend. I won't bore you with all of them, but I will share the number one quote:

"Do you ever feel like people are staring at your cleavage?"

Let me explain:

I was dressing for the graduation ceremony and the reception to follow in the Chemistry department for the graduates. I bought a new dress for the occasion. Cute thing, fell just below my knee, fitted but not too fitted in all the right places. And a bit of cleavage. I looked great, if I do say so myself and I will, since no one else bothered to all day.

My cleavage was not "in your face." I wasn't pouring out of my dress. That is to say, I wasn't tartin' it up. I looked respectable. Respectable enough that I planned to wear the same dress to an awards banquet at work a few days later (and I did.) Yet, my mother felt my cleavage was over the top, so to speak. She then went into this bit about there being a time and a place to show cleavage---not at church, school, work...and apparently not a graduation ceremony in Georgia where the people behind us were eating popcorn and M&Ms during the commencement address. (Which to me is a far more inappropriate, but hey, what do I know?)

She never did say when it is appropriate to show a little cleavage. Frankly, I think she's jealous.

It's been almost 3 weeks since I last posted. It's not that I haven't wanted to post, or even that I haven't had stuff to post about. Actually, the problem is, I haven't been home near enough.

Not a lot has changed. The Wonder Dog has been more lovey late, but that's about it. Poor kid needs a haircut, I'm starting to lose sight of his eyes under all the hair.

Anyway, I'm alive, just busy. Wanted to touch base....I promise a real post soon.

I heard/read somewhere that a person without regrets is a person who has not really lived. I'm not sure how much I agree with that, but it's on my mind this morning.

Woke up this morning thinking about my most recent regret. I suppose I shouldn't feel too bad about it, seeing as how I was not privy to all the information regarding this person, but I feel bad anyway. Not sure which bothers me more---the fact that what happened happened at all, or that the circumstances were more delicate than I knew at the time.

Regardless, I shouldn't have done what I did. I know that. All the explanation in the world won't change that.

So, why do I want to do it again?

This made me giggle...okay, laugh out loud.

Book a Minute

Movie a Minute

Check out, specifically, the War and Peace condensed version. Too funny.

NOTE: I got this in an email from a friend. It touched me, especially in light of some things going on at work. I don't have any orignal source information for it. If you know anything about it, please let me know.

What would you do? You make the choice! Don't look for a punch line; There isn't one! Read it anyway. My question to all of you is: Would you have made the same choice?

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children,the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. "I believe,that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child."

Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked,"Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."

Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart.

The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.
At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.

The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.
The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far but made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to second base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay!"Shay reached third base, the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third" As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay, run home! Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team.

"That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world."

Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND, NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY: We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people think twice about sharing. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces.

If you're thinking about forwarding this message,chances are that you're probably sorting out the people on your address list that aren't the "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message. Well, the person who se nt you this believes that we all can make a difference. We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the "natural order of things." So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up that opportunity to brighten the day of those with us the least able, and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.

Lots of high schools (if not most all) have an option to take dual/concurrent classes, whereby you get college and high school credit for some of the basics, like English or Government. The school I teach in offers several, and when you take them, you get AP credit on your GPA. Personally, haven taken the AP classes my school offered (same school incidently) AND the college classes from the same junior college the school works with, I don't think it's a legitimate trade.

Case in point:

Today, I learned that English college class was watching an episode of Seinfeld during the class. It was the basis for their essay on drama.

Let me put it another way: Their essays were to be about drama as depicted in Seinfeld episodes.

I'm so confused. How is Seinfeld drama? Why would a college Composition & Rhetoric class be writing a paper on the drama in a sitcom?

Why does someone think that this is worth AP credit, when the AP class (all 2 of them) is writing critical surveys of Shakespeare and Chaucer? Granted, they may never need the critical knowledge of those 2 again in their lives, but really, how's Seinfeld any more applicable?