March

For the first time in years, I do not have a "March Madness" pool going. I filled out a bracket on yahoo or something, but I have watched ~10 minutes total of basketball this first weekend. Wild...

I have begun in earnest my "Ball and Stick" umpiring. I call it that because they are the same game, played with slight modifications for each sport. Yet the Non-Testosterone version is very acrimonius towards the one with the bigger field. I have to have a totally separate uniform for Softball and the patch signifying that I am indeed allowed to be on the field has to go in a different place. The problem is I don't want to sew the patch in place because Baseball umpiring leaders, being gifted with a full brain, will allow you to use the light blue shirt when it gets hot but the patch goes in a different place (BB = Left Breast Pocket, SB = Left Sleeve.) Ridiculous. If they would both agree to the same place, then I could use velcro, but alas, I am going to have to buy another shirt if I want to permanently attach either. Lame.

So, in my first 8 games, I had exactly ZERO controversial plays, mostly because I worked with competent partners, had decent teams (well, except for the 2 JV Softball games that had maybe 8 total players that had played before), and I knew what I was doing. Then, in game 9, I finally had an incompetent partner. His strike zone was too high and it led to some cat-calls from the stands. And we had a crazy play, but we got it right. An infield fly rule pop up, and the runner from 2nd collided with the Shortstop. We called the batter out for the infield fly, and the runner out for interference. Pretty sure that was right.

I am really enjoying the umpiring, but not the missing out on hanging with my girls. I don't get home until after they have eaten (or are eating) dinner, and I have less time to play with them. I am trying to do bath time and bed time on these nights because I want to be with them!!

Spring break this week. I have quite a few things to get done both for school and for my Masters Degree. Would be nice if the people I e-mailed would respond with my survey questions!! I might have to go knock on some church office doors! AND, the wife and I are headed to Rancho Mirage for a night away from the girls. That will be nice.

Catching Up

Well, it's been over a month since I entered anything in my blog. Must be that forgetfulness that my wife keeps reminding me of. I tend to leave the light on in the garage when I come back in, and just a little while ago, I got my youngest a cup of milk. Then I proceeded to leave the container on the counter... for 45 minutes. What a dork.

I have been a big Chargers fan for as long as I can remember. Their choke job this season might have pushed me into looking into becoming more involved in "High Level" Football officiating. When I get done with my Masters Degree, I would like to effort to advance into the NCAA ranks, and who knows - maybe someday into the NFL. But, that is at least 3 years away, so I just keep doing what God has called me to do.

This spring I will be officiating high school baseball for the first time. I played from when I was 6 until I was 28, coached it for 8 years, and now I go to the "blue" side. I didn't like that I had to buy over $600 worth of equipment, but that will be made up within the first 6 weeks of the season. I am also going to umpire softball, but learning those rules might take a bit more time. I really am excited about the opportunity.

Finally, I am in the process of losing 20 pounds by May 28. On January 4, I was at 205. I plan on being below 185 on that date. If I pull it off, I win $25 from a buddy who said I can't do it, and I will look the way I would like to going into summer. I don't want to be an old, flabby dad for my girls. As of today, only 3 pounds down, but I need to kick in my old metabolism. Stop eating so many "junk" snacks, and make sure I exercise. The other minor problem to this is that I have a small umbilical hernia. I will be calling my doctor regarding that this week.

That's it for now. I hope to update weekly during baseball season about what I am learning, and any weirdness that happens.

Education is not for Wimps

As I look around my class this morning, on the last day of classes before Final Exams, I am amazed at how my job is not about teaching. It is about crowd control. My students had the last 45 minutes of the two hour block to review their notes, work on a review assignment, work on an extra credit assignment, and generally prepare for thier test. Less than 12 of the 36 students are even slightly working on anything other than their social skills. One group is talking about music, another about the cell phone they want for Christmas, others about Michael Jackson's dancing. Even those that are working mix in a comment about something else once in a while. I have answered less than 10 questions in this class, and most of those were from one student. Discouraging sometimes...

On a better note, I was the Head Linesman for the CIF-SS Mid Valley Division Football Finals on Saturday. It rained the whole night. I was soaked. My shoes still haven't dried (I brought them inside so they wouldn't mildew or anything). However, it was a good game, I think our crew did a great job, and due to the circumstances, will not forget that game for a LONG time. Now I begin to prepare for umpiring Baseball this spring. Pretty excited about that....

Interesting Doings

So, the last two days of school before a week off for Turkey is always hard. Students want to "have a free day" (there is no such thing) and I don't want to start anything new. So instead, we will do a lab that introduces the next concept.

Friday evening I will be officiating a playoff game as the White Hat for the very first time. I have called many games as Line Judge, Head Linesman and Back Judge, including Finals and Semi-Final games. But this is my first as the head guy. I am excited and slightly nervous. I will be reviewing some of the rule book this afternoon.

The school is locked and alarmed all week (from Saturday to Sunday) so I have to make sure I pack everything I could possibly need during the week. Not that I WANT to come back, but that is kind of frustrating about my school. I think they want us to lock up our electronics for the week too. (Things like digital projectors, visualizers, anything that could easily walk away.)

I am excited about a week off including Tuesday. A friend invited me to go to Jawbone Canyon and do some shooting of shotguns, rifles and the like. I have only shot a gun one other time in my life - Wife's extended family lives in rural Illinois and I shot a 12 gauge shotgun about 9 years ago. Fun times ahead. Hope to have pictures to post (probably on Facebook) on Wednesday.

More Random Stuff

* Having a Wednesday off is weird. Didn't want to get out of bed today. And then tomorrow is Friday. Weird.



* Short Term Independant Study is a joke in my school district. They are so hard up for the ADA that they approve students to go on Family vacations during the school year, missing oodles of class time and usually they don't even do the work that is supposed to make up for them being out of school. I have a request form on my desk for a girl that is leaving during Thanksgiving break (we get the whole week off) and not returning until January 12. She will miss the last 3 weeks of the semester, the district benchmark exam, my final exam and I have to find assignments that will allow her to learn the info on her own? Are you serious?? Wow.



* High School football playoffs start next week. I expect to be on the list to call games through the finals, but who knows. Sometimes what I think is wrong, but I think I am one of the better officials in our association. I am looking forward to when I can start moving into the college game.



* My Oldest child is ridiculously smart. We went to Wal-Mart yesterday to do our grocery shopping and she was starting to get bored. I picked her up and said, "Let's go read some signs." Aisle 7 (I think) contained the sign "Juice Concentrate" among others. Yeah, she got it right. First try too. Is it normal for a 4 1/2 year old to know that word on sight? I think she is reading at about a 3rd or 4th grade level, but I don't know for sure. I would love to give her one of those tests but I think she might get snarky and tell me wrong answers on purpose. Still, tons of fun.



* The USA is becoming the Roman Empire. It's okay to pass out "Call Girl" business cards on the strip in Las Vegas, but not okay for a large cross to be constructed on public land. It's okay for shows like "Dexter", "NCIS", "CSI" and "Sex in the City" to be on TV, but anyone mention Christianity and they are ostracised. Homosexual behavior is accepted, alcohol consumption encouraged, and pre- or extra- marital sex is not uncommon.



I pray that revival take hold in our country and to quote the Christian band Casting Crowns, "The people turn to Jesus; stop asking Oprah what to do."



DM

New Comments from Students

So, today I heard the typical question at this time of the year. Quarter grades were just released. So, the question of the day was "How can I raise my grade?" I am amazed at how often they don't want to hear the answer! I say, "Do all your homework, classwork and do better on quizzes." They say, "No, what can I do now?" Are they thinking that if they click their heels together 3 times and bat their little eyelashes that the grade will magically change? It takes more than 5 minutes to make up for 11 weeks of minimal effort.

The other comment/question was, "Why did you put [choose a comment] on my report card?" Could it be because that is a true statement? The sense of entitlement these students show saddens me. I don't like to say "back when I was a kid" because that can be said by just about every generation, and some of the changes are good, some bad. BUT, education needs to change. We need smaller class sizes, more one-on-one work with students, and less "cookie cutter" styles. Not all students learn the same way, and not all ways are effective with students. Even in my own class, I think lecture is not the best method, but based on 33-36 students per class, it is the one method that reaches more students at a time. I would rather have 3 or 4 sitting around a table working together and me coming along side to encourage and reinforce understanding. THAT is the reason I like charter schools and homeschooling.

Most Ridiculous Week

So, starting sometime Sunday October 4, my facebook page went down for "Site Maintenance." It wouldn't allow me back in until sometime Monday October 12. I missed out on my birthday comments on FB and people thought I had "unfriended" them. Sad, I wouldn't drop someone as a friend. If I took the time to accept them once, I wouldn't delete them.

Then, Friday, BHO was named Nobel Laureate. For what, I think we are still trying to determine. For "changing the world-wide culture"? You mean, for letting the rest of the world know that we will just sit back and allow you to attack weaker countries? I am truly afraid for Israel (as well as the rest of the world) because Iran is preparing nuclear warheads. And what does BHO do? Essentially he says "Let's talk this out." He is more willing to talk to Ahmadinejad than any Fox News Anchor.

Finally, I heard today about a 6 year old little boy in Delaware that was suspended for bringing his Cub Scout camping utensil, which is a combination spoon, fork and knife, to school because he was so excited to be a Cub Scout. Turns out he violated the school's Zero Brain, er, sorry, Zero Tolerance Policy on weapons. HE'S SIX! HE WANTED TO EAT HIS LUNCH WITH HIS COOL GEAR! Please.... Here is the whole story if you are so inclined... http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,564605,00.html?test=latestnews

Will post about football games next week.