October 29, 2009 — Well my great adventure of the fall of 2009 is underway. My niece, her dog Daisy Jane, and I left Austin a bit earlier than expected on Monday. It was almost 4 a.m. when I woke them up along with Wanda and announced that we had better get started ahead of approaching storms. It was good that we did as there was significant rain. We stayed out of most of it until we reached the Houston area where it stormed and we had to deal with rush hour traffic. My niece did a great job of getting us through it all and we headed on towards New Orleans.
We left the Interstate (I-10) at Lake Charles, La and traveled the rural highways all the way to New Orleans. You really do see a lot more by getting off the Interstate as my niece had been proclaiming. It took a total of 12-hours to reach New Orleans, but we saw a lot of things that otherwise would have been missed had we not gone through southern Louisiana. I thought they grew a lot of sugar cane in Hawaii, but that is the major crop around these parts.
(I started this blog in the early morning hours of our last day in New Orleans and have since traveled to Pensacola, Fla. so I am switching to past tense.)
I was very impressed with New Orleans. I thought I would find a dingy city with a lot of "crud" hanging around, but that is certainly not the case. It is very easy to get around by auto except for parking so we did a lot of sightseeing from the car. Our hotel was about a mile (maybe less) from the French Quarter so of course we explored Bourbon St and the surrounding area. I love the narrow streets and overhanging balconies. My niece has been to New Orleans several times before and was an excellent tour guide.
One of the best parts was the French Market area at one end of the French Quarter. It is alongside the Mississippi River and there was so much to see. I enjoyed the Cafe du Monde and the delicious beignets (a French pastry). They were exactly as my niece said they would be. We did some shopping at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville and had lunch there. All of it good stuff!
The first day we traveled south out of New Orleans paralleling the river to the farthest point south you can go in Louisiana by car. It was some 140 miles round trip and about half of that there just wasn't much to see. Down near the end of the road there were a number of heliports where oil rig workers are ferried to the rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. There were a ton of pickup trucks parked in the parking lots of these heliports.
Our second day we spent as described above and also drove through the Garden District. This area of New Orleans is filled with very old style southern homes. Very expansive and beautiful. I believe I got some good pictures. We then traveled around via the Interstate to the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain and then took the causeway across the lake back to the city. That is a distance of 24 miles. Lake Pontchartrain is the second largest saltwater lake in America and has an average depth of 12-14 feet. Amazing!
All-in-all I thoroughly enjoyed the sites of New Orleans and look forward to when I might return. So we left for Pensacola this morning and arrived about 4:30 p.m. We again stayed off I-10 most of the way and drove along the beach through Mississippi and Alabama. We stopped at a casino and of course my niece walked out of the place flush with cash. Me I got a little return. Tomorrow I intend to see the National Naval Air Museum. I spent a good deal of my adult life in Naval aviation and it means so much to me...it's what really matters!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
I Am Really Angry
October 26, 2009 — I can't remember when I have been as angry as I am right now. I mean really angry. For a long time now my youngest son has been on a path to self destruction. Strong words huh? Well it is the truth. He quit school (finally went back and graduated this summer), got into drugs which he was doing long before he quit school, made really bad choices in his friends, got into serious trouble with the law, and so much more.
He has absolutely no respect for anything. He uses people constantly for his own selfish needs and this is where I am drawing the line. Wanda and I have tried to help him in many ways, but with all of that he has consistently shown that he does not care what we think or feel just as long as he gets his way. Wanda has gone out on a limb to help him get a job, something he sorely needs, where she works and now he is trashing that. How is that you say? Well he went to work when scheduled for about two weeks, but when he started getting money in his pocket he has shown up late for work or called in. He did that today so he could go with his friends to a concert. He also failed to follow through with something I had asked him to do for me today...all because he wanted to be with his friends.
Well that's it for me and Wanda. He will not disrespect her. Her reputation at work has been laid on the line for him and he cares not a bit for that. It is time for tough love...I guess. It is time to say to him that since he does not want to take responsibility for himself and his actions then it is time for us to say that we can't help you anymore. This will be hard for me...it is not something I like doing with my children, but I cannot go on with him like this. Yes, it's time for tough love...it's what really matters!
He has absolutely no respect for anything. He uses people constantly for his own selfish needs and this is where I am drawing the line. Wanda and I have tried to help him in many ways, but with all of that he has consistently shown that he does not care what we think or feel just as long as he gets his way. Wanda has gone out on a limb to help him get a job, something he sorely needs, where she works and now he is trashing that. How is that you say? Well he went to work when scheduled for about two weeks, but when he started getting money in his pocket he has shown up late for work or called in. He did that today so he could go with his friends to a concert. He also failed to follow through with something I had asked him to do for me today...all because he wanted to be with his friends.
Well that's it for me and Wanda. He will not disrespect her. Her reputation at work has been laid on the line for him and he cares not a bit for that. It is time for tough love...I guess. It is time to say to him that since he does not want to take responsibility for himself and his actions then it is time for us to say that we can't help you anymore. This will be hard for me...it is not something I like doing with my children, but I cannot go on with him like this. Yes, it's time for tough love...it's what really matters!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Taking Care of Myself
October 25, 2009 — I could spend hours blogging about the subject. I don't think that is really necessary as the subject is really pretty basic. Taking care of myself has two fundamental parts: (1) my physical health, and (2) my emotional health.
The first part I have done plenty of blogging about. I am making progress in taking care of my physical health and while it is not without obstacles, I know the progress is there. There are many successes and some setbacks. In both the successes and the setbacks I am gaining valuable experience that will help me to continue to move in a positive direction. If I do not keep moving positively forward, I will amplify the problems in taking care of my emotional health.
Taking care of emotional health can be an exhausting experience. There are so many little things in attending to my emotional health that it can become overwhelming...that is until I break the emotion down to the very basic facts. Rome wasn't built in a day and it is foolish for me to think that I can take care of all my emotional needs in a day...so to speak. It just does not work when I try to do so in that way.
However, when I break an issue down to the fundamental facts...throw out the BS...and deal with it straightforwardly and truthfully I find out that I emerge on the other side a much more healthy emotional person. I emerge as a husband, father, grandfather, family member, and friend that I want and should be.
The two parts of taking care of myself have one very strong need. They both require that in doing the work necessary to be healthy that I do so in the light of truth. For a long time I have thought that the inscription on the Tower Building on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin read..."Seek ye the truth and the truth shall make you free", but the inscription is "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." To me it is a seeking...to me truth is the foundation of our lives...to me it's what really matters!
The first part I have done plenty of blogging about. I am making progress in taking care of my physical health and while it is not without obstacles, I know the progress is there. There are many successes and some setbacks. In both the successes and the setbacks I am gaining valuable experience that will help me to continue to move in a positive direction. If I do not keep moving positively forward, I will amplify the problems in taking care of my emotional health.
Taking care of emotional health can be an exhausting experience. There are so many little things in attending to my emotional health that it can become overwhelming...that is until I break the emotion down to the very basic facts. Rome wasn't built in a day and it is foolish for me to think that I can take care of all my emotional needs in a day...so to speak. It just does not work when I try to do so in that way.
However, when I break an issue down to the fundamental facts...throw out the BS...and deal with it straightforwardly and truthfully I find out that I emerge on the other side a much more healthy emotional person. I emerge as a husband, father, grandfather, family member, and friend that I want and should be.
The two parts of taking care of myself have one very strong need. They both require that in doing the work necessary to be healthy that I do so in the light of truth. For a long time I have thought that the inscription on the Tower Building on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin read..."Seek ye the truth and the truth shall make you free", but the inscription is "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." To me it is a seeking...to me truth is the foundation of our lives...to me it's what really matters!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Reaching Out To Needy Vets
October 23, 2009 — Recently a social worker at a local nursing home contacted the commander of my VFW Post asking if any Post member might be willing to come talk with several wheelchair bound vets residing at her facility. She explained that these guys were lonely and in need of contact with someone that understood their military past and could share experiences with them. When the Post Commander announced this need to our membership I immediately thought back to what I had been telling myself and that is just why am I member of this great organization that professes to honor the dead by helping the living if I don't live that in my own life? I told the commander that I would be happy to go and talk with these gentleman and find out if there was anything we could do as a VFW Post to help improve their situation. Yesterday, accompanied by my niece, I made that visit.
Several things were readily apparent from my visit. First of all while these guys were wheelchair bound from strokes, they were both lucid and could articulate what their needs were and they were not many. They needed the kind of companionship and camaraderie our Post membership could provide. With Veterans Day approaching and the fact that our Post has an Open House on that day, I invited both vets to join me at the Post for the festivities and they both gladly accepted. One of the vets also stated he had been a member of the VFW previously in another town here in Texas. I asked if he was interested in being reinstated as a VFW member in our Post and his answer was yes. He seemed to be the most needy and wanting of the comradeship. The other vet wanted help with asking the VA to reevaluate his medical condition and what caused it because he did feel he was getting the proper disability previously awarded to him. Our Post has the resources and the know how of who to contact to help this vet in dealing with the VA.
On a very personal note I must confess that what I did yesterday in visiting these vets I would not have done 10 years ago. Back then I did not care so much. I am so glad I have grown past that. When I left the nursing home it was with a very good feeling that now I could live up to what I truly believe in and that is honoring the dead by helping the living. To be sure, I will do everything I can to help these vets. I will leave no stone unturned...it's what really matters!
Several things were readily apparent from my visit. First of all while these guys were wheelchair bound from strokes, they were both lucid and could articulate what their needs were and they were not many. They needed the kind of companionship and camaraderie our Post membership could provide. With Veterans Day approaching and the fact that our Post has an Open House on that day, I invited both vets to join me at the Post for the festivities and they both gladly accepted. One of the vets also stated he had been a member of the VFW previously in another town here in Texas. I asked if he was interested in being reinstated as a VFW member in our Post and his answer was yes. He seemed to be the most needy and wanting of the comradeship. The other vet wanted help with asking the VA to reevaluate his medical condition and what caused it because he did feel he was getting the proper disability previously awarded to him. Our Post has the resources and the know how of who to contact to help this vet in dealing with the VA.
On a very personal note I must confess that what I did yesterday in visiting these vets I would not have done 10 years ago. Back then I did not care so much. I am so glad I have grown past that. When I left the nursing home it was with a very good feeling that now I could live up to what I truly believe in and that is honoring the dead by helping the living. To be sure, I will do everything I can to help these vets. I will leave no stone unturned...it's what really matters!
Monday, October 19, 2009
A Most Incredible Week
October 19, 2009 — I am going to be having the most incredible week coming up. In fact the next 18 days or so have a great possibility of being incredible. Well why is that you might ask?
My niece from North Carolina is here visiting. She came in on Saturday having traveled from Lubbock, Texas (yes it should be in your rear view mirror) where she and Daisy Jane (her dog) had spent Friday night. My niece is approaching the end of a two month plus trip that started in Kentucky, on to Missouri, and then picking up the Lewis and Clark Trail and their Corps of Discovery in Omaha, Neb and following it through South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, to it's end near Portland, Ore. Then it was back to Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico and visits to National Parks and then on to Austin. I will travel with her next week to New Orleans, Pensacola, Fla, Andersonville and Athens, Ga, and then Jacksonville, Fla. There will be much to blog about on the way. By the time my niece returns to her home in North Carolina she and Daisy will have traveled well over 10K miles exploring America.
I have another niece from North Carolina who is working a job assignment in San Antonio so she joined us over the weekend and then we will see her in San Antone on Tuesday. It just doesn't get any better than this.
Family is the foundation for everything in life. I am blessed to be part of a good family. We are spread all across this great country of ours and we have many and diverse interest. The bottom line though is that we are family...it's what really matters!
My niece from North Carolina is here visiting. She came in on Saturday having traveled from Lubbock, Texas (yes it should be in your rear view mirror) where she and Daisy Jane (her dog) had spent Friday night. My niece is approaching the end of a two month plus trip that started in Kentucky, on to Missouri, and then picking up the Lewis and Clark Trail and their Corps of Discovery in Omaha, Neb and following it through South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, to it's end near Portland, Ore. Then it was back to Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico and visits to National Parks and then on to Austin. I will travel with her next week to New Orleans, Pensacola, Fla, Andersonville and Athens, Ga, and then Jacksonville, Fla. There will be much to blog about on the way. By the time my niece returns to her home in North Carolina she and Daisy will have traveled well over 10K miles exploring America.
I have another niece from North Carolina who is working a job assignment in San Antonio so she joined us over the weekend and then we will see her in San Antone on Tuesday. It just doesn't get any better than this.
Family is the foundation for everything in life. I am blessed to be part of a good family. We are spread all across this great country of ours and we have many and diverse interest. The bottom line though is that we are family...it's what really matters!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Troop Morale In Afghanistan
October 16, 2009 — This article http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2009-10-15-commander-letter-to-troops_N.htm?csp=34 on usatoday.com is about one military commander's attempt to help with improving his troops morale by writing a personal letter to them that was published in his unit's newsletter and he does this every month. It is an outstanding example of good leadership.
Apparently Col. David Haight, of the 10th Mountain Division's 3rd Brigade Combat team, recognizes that his troops need to know why they are doing what they are doing. A soldiers need to know the whys and wherefores of what they are doing is nothing new. It was that way in Vietnam and I venture to say it was that way in Korea and in WWII. I know from personal experience that the flight crews I was a part of during my 22+ years in the Navy always performed better and our morale was high when our leaders took the time to explain why we were doing some of the things we did.
It appears that the low morale reported in Col. Haight's command is a two-fold issue. How could it not be disheartening and a morale crasher when you see two of your buddies killed by someone you thought was a friend, but turned on you after five years? How could it not be disheartening for a soldier in Afghanistan or Iraq or anywhere else for that matter to see, hear, and read the stories on CNN or published in the Stars and Stripes or broadcast on AFRTS about what the Obama administration is doing with their ongoing debate on what to do militarily from a strategic and even tactical viewpoint in Afghanistan? Why do we do these things to the men and women of our armed forces? Why?
We have learned nothing from the experiences of Vietnam. We are still trying to fight and control a battlefield from the halls of the White House and the halls of Congress. Vietnam proved that without a doubt you cannot do that and expect your fighting forces not to have low morale which places them in even more grave danger.
I have talked with many veterans over the last few months, most of them Vietnam vets, and what is going on angers them greatly and awakens the nightmares they have had all these years. They are disgusted and they know what is going on is what happened to them and they know it is dead wrong.
We must stop this total disregard for our troops. It is a sickening madness and dishonors those that have already paid the ultimate price for their service to fight the War on Terrorism and it dishonors those that are fighting on regardless of the stupidity of our political...ahem...leaders. We must not do to these men and women what we did to those that served in Vietnam...we must give them the tools and the support needed to win the battle and come home...it's what really matters!
Apparently Col. David Haight, of the 10th Mountain Division's 3rd Brigade Combat team, recognizes that his troops need to know why they are doing what they are doing. A soldiers need to know the whys and wherefores of what they are doing is nothing new. It was that way in Vietnam and I venture to say it was that way in Korea and in WWII. I know from personal experience that the flight crews I was a part of during my 22+ years in the Navy always performed better and our morale was high when our leaders took the time to explain why we were doing some of the things we did.
It appears that the low morale reported in Col. Haight's command is a two-fold issue. How could it not be disheartening and a morale crasher when you see two of your buddies killed by someone you thought was a friend, but turned on you after five years? How could it not be disheartening for a soldier in Afghanistan or Iraq or anywhere else for that matter to see, hear, and read the stories on CNN or published in the Stars and Stripes or broadcast on AFRTS about what the Obama administration is doing with their ongoing debate on what to do militarily from a strategic and even tactical viewpoint in Afghanistan? Why do we do these things to the men and women of our armed forces? Why?
We have learned nothing from the experiences of Vietnam. We are still trying to fight and control a battlefield from the halls of the White House and the halls of Congress. Vietnam proved that without a doubt you cannot do that and expect your fighting forces not to have low morale which places them in even more grave danger.
I have talked with many veterans over the last few months, most of them Vietnam vets, and what is going on angers them greatly and awakens the nightmares they have had all these years. They are disgusted and they know what is going on is what happened to them and they know it is dead wrong.
We must stop this total disregard for our troops. It is a sickening madness and dishonors those that have already paid the ultimate price for their service to fight the War on Terrorism and it dishonors those that are fighting on regardless of the stupidity of our political...ahem...leaders. We must not do to these men and women what we did to those that served in Vietnam...we must give them the tools and the support needed to win the battle and come home...it's what really matters!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Busy, Busy...Or Why I Haven't Had Time To Blog
October 13, 2009 — This month has been a busy one so far. I am not taking the time to blog much right now as there is so much going on...not an excuse just a fact.
I continue to have medical issues that crop up. For instance, the other day as I was substitute teaching and I noticed some problem with my "plumbing system" (if you know what I mean). I went to the VA clinic the next day and sure enough a urine test confirmed there was a problem I needed to have looked at immediately. So Wanda and I had to make a quick trip to the VA hospital at Temple, TX that afternoon and I had my bladder scoped out. Nothing wrong there, so they have scheduled a CT scan to look at my kidneys and put me on some antibiotics.
Then for longer that I can remember I have had problems with my feet. It started way back in my Navy days and I have had them looked at I don't know how many times both while I was in the Navy and since I have been out. Nothing that has been done has ever made any difference. So, I go again today to see a VA podiatrist. I am hoping some measure of relief can be found as they are really getting to be a "pain in the foot" so to speak.
Tomorrow I will have a CT scan done to look at the nodules in my chest that were discovered back in June. It has been the plan all along by my pulminologist to do a CT scan at this time to see if there has been any growth or major change. I am anxious for this to happen, the CT I mean, and to know what is going on.
So the parts seem to continue to wear out. I guess that is to be expected as you grow older. Outside my medical issues I have begun developing a web site for my VFW Post. I am not a professional web site designer/developer, but I do view it as a hobby and it's something I love to do. I will be advertising the site here in the blog when it is complete and online.
Well there just hasn't been much time left to blog. That's okay though as I was getting way to political there for awhile and bit on the grumpy side. I've told myself all along that this blog needs to be about those things in my life that really matter. I think I have been doing justice to that so far and I don't want to get off task...it's what really matters!
I continue to have medical issues that crop up. For instance, the other day as I was substitute teaching and I noticed some problem with my "plumbing system" (if you know what I mean). I went to the VA clinic the next day and sure enough a urine test confirmed there was a problem I needed to have looked at immediately. So Wanda and I had to make a quick trip to the VA hospital at Temple, TX that afternoon and I had my bladder scoped out. Nothing wrong there, so they have scheduled a CT scan to look at my kidneys and put me on some antibiotics.
Then for longer that I can remember I have had problems with my feet. It started way back in my Navy days and I have had them looked at I don't know how many times both while I was in the Navy and since I have been out. Nothing that has been done has ever made any difference. So, I go again today to see a VA podiatrist. I am hoping some measure of relief can be found as they are really getting to be a "pain in the foot" so to speak.
Tomorrow I will have a CT scan done to look at the nodules in my chest that were discovered back in June. It has been the plan all along by my pulminologist to do a CT scan at this time to see if there has been any growth or major change. I am anxious for this to happen, the CT I mean, and to know what is going on.
So the parts seem to continue to wear out. I guess that is to be expected as you grow older. Outside my medical issues I have begun developing a web site for my VFW Post. I am not a professional web site designer/developer, but I do view it as a hobby and it's something I love to do. I will be advertising the site here in the blog when it is complete and online.
Well there just hasn't been much time left to blog. That's okay though as I was getting way to political there for awhile and bit on the grumpy side. I've told myself all along that this blog needs to be about those things in my life that really matter. I think I have been doing justice to that so far and I don't want to get off task...it's what really matters!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Early Substitute Teaching Returns
October 8, 2009 — I've really been enjoying my work so far as a substitute teacher. It seems to be much as thought it would be...working when I want to...picking where it is I want to work, e.g., elementary level, middle school, or high school and since I am doing this in two separate school districts I have a choice there also. Each of these advantages, I'll call them, has presented me the opportunity to form some early opinions about what is happening in the education of children in Texas and I'd venture to say across the country. There are two early opinions I have and I shall endeavor to clearly express them and stay on topic.
First, there are are major differences in the socio-economics of the two districts. One is in an area of white upper middle class families living in very upscale neighborhoods and I'll call it D#1. The other district (D#2) covers a wide area of largely Hispanic families ranging from very low to middle class on the socio-economic scale. Secondly, there is a disparity I believe in the professional educators in one of these districts. The largely Hispanic D#2 has upper level administrators and teachers that are white. Is this because the pool of professional educators that are of Hispanic origin is small? Probably, but I have no published analysis to back up that thought. Not to surprisingly the administrators and teachers in the more affluent D#1 district are also white. One could say that this probably causes problems in the education of the kids in D#2, but then again maybe not. Especially when one sees that good teachers don't care what your ethnic makeup or social status is (although they are generally sensitive to the issue)...they just want to help the student learn and they work hard at doing so. If we have a shortage of say doctors that practice Family medicine in this country, then just as importantly there might be a shortage of minority professional educators and we should be devoting resources to correct that disparity. Finally, the student population in numbers are comparable in each of the two districts.
What about the students themselves in these two districts? What about the differences in grade level? The second question could be easily addressed by thinking about the age differences involved when considering grade level, but there is more to it than just age differences. I have done an elementary 5th grade class job assignment and I did not care for it much primarily because of the methods involved in teaching. The class I had was doing math and science on the day I was there and I just did not care for the pace of the lesson plan I was given. Middle school students (6th-8th grade here in Texas) in both D#1 and D#2 I am finding out seem to be much more attentive. They are out of the elementary school mode and expanding their horizons and are more eager to learn. They have not yet experienced many of the things one does as a teenager. It has been a pleasure to teach in these schools. The high school student is altogether another challenge. In D#1 the high school group is very polite and respectful (and I'll have more to say about respect in a moment) and the students almost across the board want to learn. At one of the high schools in this district they profess that all but three of their graduating seniors in the class of 2008 are enrolled in an institution of higher learning. If this is true, then I believe that is very significant. In D#2 the students whether Hispanic, white, or other are generally not very interested in being at school for any other reason then the social aspects. Yes, there are those students in D#2 that do care and are good students that work hard, but they are the minority. A case in point is a two day assignment I took for a Junior year English class in D#2. On the first day the students were to watch part of the made for TV movie Of Mice and Men and complete a movie guide for turn-in at the end of the period. I had to constantly remind some students in each period to stay awake (even at 2 p.m. in the afternoon). The second day the classes were to listen to an audio book reading of Chapter 4 of Of Mice and Men, follow along in their own copy of the book, and again complete a worksheet for turn-in. There were some students that did not bother to even open their book. Some did not write a word on the handout given to them and one industrious young man hurriedly copied the answers from a fellow student and turned in his handout. I noted this on my report to the teacher. I have found none of these sorts of things so far in D#1.
So what does this all mean? Does socio-economic status affect learning and more directly attitude. Not to surprisingly it does. There are no differences in the teachers between these two districts and there are basically no differences that I have encountered in the material being taught or the way that it is taught. So where is the problem? It is I believe in the home. The parents play a critical role here and all to often they want to point their finger at the school and say it is the schools fault (meaning the teachers) that their child is failing. This simply is not true in my opinion. The parents in my opinion just do not care and do not want to take responsibility for their part in their child's education.
The most significant attribute, good or bad, of a student in these two districts is the one of respect. It is most noticeably visible when it comes time to rise out of their seat, hold their hand over their heart, and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. In D#1, absolutely across the board, the students show great respect for the flag and our country. In D#2 that is not the case. In the aforementioned English class, on day one I was at the teachers desk in the back of the room when the the pledge was recited (or not) and I thought that not many were saying the pledge. On day two I purposely positioned myself in the classroom where I could face the flag and also see the students and out of 29 people in that room that morning I was the only one that recited the pledge. What is this saying for this group of America's youth and more importantly what sort of value is being placed on love of country and respect in their own home. Not much can be said I am afraid and it is disheartening.
While some of my comments here may seem racially tainted or biased I make no apology for that because it is not true. These are observations that I have made and know to be true as my eyes have seen them and my brain has processed the thoughts created by those observations.
So, those are the early returns on my experiences as a substitute teacher. I am sure I will have more in this blog on this subject as the year progresses. One thing is for sure it is presenting me with some great challenges and also the opportunity for me to learn. In very teaching situation that I have been involved with in my adult life, I have come away having learned something myself. I will work hard at this teaching...these young people are our future...they are what is important. It's what really matters!
First, there are are major differences in the socio-economics of the two districts. One is in an area of white upper middle class families living in very upscale neighborhoods and I'll call it D#1. The other district (D#2) covers a wide area of largely Hispanic families ranging from very low to middle class on the socio-economic scale. Secondly, there is a disparity I believe in the professional educators in one of these districts. The largely Hispanic D#2 has upper level administrators and teachers that are white. Is this because the pool of professional educators that are of Hispanic origin is small? Probably, but I have no published analysis to back up that thought. Not to surprisingly the administrators and teachers in the more affluent D#1 district are also white. One could say that this probably causes problems in the education of the kids in D#2, but then again maybe not. Especially when one sees that good teachers don't care what your ethnic makeup or social status is (although they are generally sensitive to the issue)...they just want to help the student learn and they work hard at doing so. If we have a shortage of say doctors that practice Family medicine in this country, then just as importantly there might be a shortage of minority professional educators and we should be devoting resources to correct that disparity. Finally, the student population in numbers are comparable in each of the two districts.
What about the students themselves in these two districts? What about the differences in grade level? The second question could be easily addressed by thinking about the age differences involved when considering grade level, but there is more to it than just age differences. I have done an elementary 5th grade class job assignment and I did not care for it much primarily because of the methods involved in teaching. The class I had was doing math and science on the day I was there and I just did not care for the pace of the lesson plan I was given. Middle school students (6th-8th grade here in Texas) in both D#1 and D#2 I am finding out seem to be much more attentive. They are out of the elementary school mode and expanding their horizons and are more eager to learn. They have not yet experienced many of the things one does as a teenager. It has been a pleasure to teach in these schools. The high school student is altogether another challenge. In D#1 the high school group is very polite and respectful (and I'll have more to say about respect in a moment) and the students almost across the board want to learn. At one of the high schools in this district they profess that all but three of their graduating seniors in the class of 2008 are enrolled in an institution of higher learning. If this is true, then I believe that is very significant. In D#2 the students whether Hispanic, white, or other are generally not very interested in being at school for any other reason then the social aspects. Yes, there are those students in D#2 that do care and are good students that work hard, but they are the minority. A case in point is a two day assignment I took for a Junior year English class in D#2. On the first day the students were to watch part of the made for TV movie Of Mice and Men and complete a movie guide for turn-in at the end of the period. I had to constantly remind some students in each period to stay awake (even at 2 p.m. in the afternoon). The second day the classes were to listen to an audio book reading of Chapter 4 of Of Mice and Men, follow along in their own copy of the book, and again complete a worksheet for turn-in. There were some students that did not bother to even open their book. Some did not write a word on the handout given to them and one industrious young man hurriedly copied the answers from a fellow student and turned in his handout. I noted this on my report to the teacher. I have found none of these sorts of things so far in D#1.
So what does this all mean? Does socio-economic status affect learning and more directly attitude. Not to surprisingly it does. There are no differences in the teachers between these two districts and there are basically no differences that I have encountered in the material being taught or the way that it is taught. So where is the problem? It is I believe in the home. The parents play a critical role here and all to often they want to point their finger at the school and say it is the schools fault (meaning the teachers) that their child is failing. This simply is not true in my opinion. The parents in my opinion just do not care and do not want to take responsibility for their part in their child's education.
The most significant attribute, good or bad, of a student in these two districts is the one of respect. It is most noticeably visible when it comes time to rise out of their seat, hold their hand over their heart, and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. In D#1, absolutely across the board, the students show great respect for the flag and our country. In D#2 that is not the case. In the aforementioned English class, on day one I was at the teachers desk in the back of the room when the the pledge was recited (or not) and I thought that not many were saying the pledge. On day two I purposely positioned myself in the classroom where I could face the flag and also see the students and out of 29 people in that room that morning I was the only one that recited the pledge. What is this saying for this group of America's youth and more importantly what sort of value is being placed on love of country and respect in their own home. Not much can be said I am afraid and it is disheartening.
While some of my comments here may seem racially tainted or biased I make no apology for that because it is not true. These are observations that I have made and know to be true as my eyes have seen them and my brain has processed the thoughts created by those observations.
So, those are the early returns on my experiences as a substitute teacher. I am sure I will have more in this blog on this subject as the year progresses. One thing is for sure it is presenting me with some great challenges and also the opportunity for me to learn. In very teaching situation that I have been involved with in my adult life, I have come away having learned something myself. I will work hard at this teaching...these young people are our future...they are what is important. It's what really matters!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
I Am Sick To Death of President Obama
October 6, 2009 — Here it is for all of you that think the current President of the United States rides a white stallion and does everything right for this country. Here is an Associated Press article reported on MSNBC.com http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33198986/ns/politics-white_house/. It details how Obama's ratings in the polls are on the rise and the war in Afghanistan is declining in popularity.
The poll shows that 56% of those polled approve of Obama's performance and that is up from 50% in September and is the first increase since he took office. I say that 56% of those polled got it WRONG! I am not sure if this President is an ego-maniac or not and I am not qualified to make a call on that really, but he has got to be close. He does everything just at the right moment to ensure that his poll numbers have a chance to "jump" as it is termed in the article above. It would be the right thing to do if they jumped in the tank.
I have never been more sick at my stomach over most of the things this President does then since the resignation and shame of Richard Nixon. Well at least Obama has one outright failure recently and that was his and his wife's bid to convince the IOC to hold the 2016 Olympic games in Chicago. I mean the citizens of Chicago no ill will but I was glad to see the President fall on his face on this issue. While he was off addressing this so very important issue he had his administration tearing apart the Commanding General in Afghanistan and then had his Sec of Def and Sec of State come out over the weekend and announce that it was not right to publicly disagree with this President. In other words they told the General to shut up or else. Well the General will end up getting the ax no doubt and all because he was being a leader and standing up for his troops. All Obama and his troops were and are doing is standing up for the poll numbers. How sickening this all is! How deadly this game is for the lives of our service men and women.
So all you liberals out there keep shining the saddle of the man that rides the white stallion. Keep kissing his ass and then be sure to yell loud and clear when this country goes into the tank and point your finger at all the conservatives. What you should do...what we all should do regardless of our political slant is stand behind our military leaders. What we all should do is make common sense decisions about healthcare reform. What we all should do is forget that we are Dems or Republicans, that we are white or black or Hispanic or Italian or German, that we are young or old, that we are worried about our poll numbers...what we should do is band together and remember we are Americans and we should do the right thing...it's what really matters!
The poll shows that 56% of those polled approve of Obama's performance and that is up from 50% in September and is the first increase since he took office. I say that 56% of those polled got it WRONG! I am not sure if this President is an ego-maniac or not and I am not qualified to make a call on that really, but he has got to be close. He does everything just at the right moment to ensure that his poll numbers have a chance to "jump" as it is termed in the article above. It would be the right thing to do if they jumped in the tank.
I have never been more sick at my stomach over most of the things this President does then since the resignation and shame of Richard Nixon. Well at least Obama has one outright failure recently and that was his and his wife's bid to convince the IOC to hold the 2016 Olympic games in Chicago. I mean the citizens of Chicago no ill will but I was glad to see the President fall on his face on this issue. While he was off addressing this so very important issue he had his administration tearing apart the Commanding General in Afghanistan and then had his Sec of Def and Sec of State come out over the weekend and announce that it was not right to publicly disagree with this President. In other words they told the General to shut up or else. Well the General will end up getting the ax no doubt and all because he was being a leader and standing up for his troops. All Obama and his troops were and are doing is standing up for the poll numbers. How sickening this all is! How deadly this game is for the lives of our service men and women.
So all you liberals out there keep shining the saddle of the man that rides the white stallion. Keep kissing his ass and then be sure to yell loud and clear when this country goes into the tank and point your finger at all the conservatives. What you should do...what we all should do regardless of our political slant is stand behind our military leaders. What we all should do is make common sense decisions about healthcare reform. What we all should do is forget that we are Dems or Republicans, that we are white or black or Hispanic or Italian or German, that we are young or old, that we are worried about our poll numbers...what we should do is band together and remember we are Americans and we should do the right thing...it's what really matters!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Stimmung Und Tanz (Mood and Dance)
October 5, 2009 — The title of this blog article is the title of Oma and the Oompahs latest CD. As I briefly mentioned in an earlier blog, this German band played at the Oktoberfest held in Fredericksburg, TX this past weekend. They have played there for the past 28-years and are booked to play again next year. The band consists of Oma (meaning Grandma in German) who is Pearly Sowell playing an accordion, a drummer, and a tuba player. The tuba player was always Oma's husband, but unfortunately he passed away this past February, so she now uses a young band teacher from Seguine, TX. The drummer was a man that has been with Oma for sometime and is a drug/alcohol counselor in Fredericksburg by profession. The banter between the two helps to make Oma and the Oompahs a great band. By the way Pearly Sowell is 83-years young!
The band plays authentic German music from waltzes, to love songs, to polkas, to bier drinking songs...the words and music are wonderful. Oma takes the time to introduce each song and give a bit of history behind each. She sings almost everyone and does so in German and adds English as appropriate. The audience naturally joins in on almost every song...you just cannot help but do so.
Wanda, my niece, and I thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon at the Fredericksburg Oktoberfest and especially the hour and a half Oma and the Oompahs show. I had not been to this festival in 20-yrs and Wanda and my niece had never been. They were greatly impressed and had a great time. There was plenty of good food, bier, arts and crafts, and good people.
Oma autographed the CD that Wanda and my niece bought for me. She wrote "Viel Spass, Oma" which means "Have Fun, Oma"...it's what really matters!
The band plays authentic German music from waltzes, to love songs, to polkas, to bier drinking songs...the words and music are wonderful. Oma takes the time to introduce each song and give a bit of history behind each. She sings almost everyone and does so in German and adds English as appropriate. The audience naturally joins in on almost every song...you just cannot help but do so.
Wanda, my niece, and I thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon at the Fredericksburg Oktoberfest and especially the hour and a half Oma and the Oompahs show. I had not been to this festival in 20-yrs and Wanda and my niece had never been. They were greatly impressed and had a great time. There was plenty of good food, bier, arts and crafts, and good people.
Oma autographed the CD that Wanda and my niece bought for me. She wrote "Viel Spass, Oma" which means "Have Fun, Oma"...it's what really matters!
Friday, October 2, 2009
This Is Just Flat Out Wrong!
October 2, 2009 — This story on MSNBC.com http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33132724/ns/world_news-washington_post/ just makes me mad as hell! We just will never learn from mistakes we have made in the past. Because of political expediency, and only because of that, the White House and when I say the White House I am talking about President Obama is fighting back against the call by the commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, for the immediate infusion of more combat troops into Afghanistan. The General states this is needed in order to regain the initiative against the Taliban and ultimately al Qaeda. Reports indicate we have been losing the initiative for some time now.
While the President is off talking to the IOC about getting the 2016 Olympics in Chicago, Ill. and that is so very important (please don't make me ill) he is having his high level staff headed up by Vice President Biden come up with ways to down play Gen. McChrystal's request and turn this around so as not to harm the President politically. How is that you say? Polls show that the war in Afghanistan is becoming very unpopular, so the President sure as hell does not want to appear like he is "Hawkish."
I just can't believe this. Why can't civilians leave the business of fighting a war, regardless of how unpopular it is, to the professionals that are trained for it and have spent their entire adult life preparing for and doing! It's called leaving the tactical decisions to the "boots on the ground." We did not do it in Vietnam nor any conflict/war since. And, because we do not do it young men and women in our armed forces die unnecessarily. This is the ultimate tragic consequence of what these senior WH officials are doing.
Gen. McChrystal's immediate military superiors support him in his assessment of the situation in Afghanistan. The General is also not being quiet about this as noted in the article above where it is stated he continued making his call for more troops in a speech on Thursday in London. This is going to get the General fired. Not because he is wrong, but because he is going against the administration and they will shut him up, or so they think, by ultimately firing him. What the General is doing here is standing up for his troops. He is doing the right thing! A solider can ask for nothing more than this sort of outstanding leadership. The group that should be getting fired are those making decisions in the WH and we could start with Vice President Biden.
Curiously Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is being somewhat mum on this issue. And here I thought Gates was a "breath of fresh air" after the control freak Rumsfeld. Now I am not so sure. Why can he not come out and say he supports the General's assessment or if he agrees with the polticos in the WH say so! That is a classic example of very poor leadership! The article above also points out that Secretary of State Clinton is remaining mute on this issue. Well she should because it is not a matter for the State Department.
The war in Afghanistan started as a result of 9/11. We the American public felt it was right to do then. The administration of President Bush knew it was the right thing to do. President Bush told the American public upfront that this was not going to be easy and it was going to take a long time. Why did he say those things...he did so because his military commanders...the boots on the ground...told him it was going to be like that. It has proven to be true.
Those that think that war is a nasty, vile thing are correct. It is! There is no doubt that war is nasty and that people die some very innocently and tragically. It is the nature of war. Look at history...look at the history of the Civil War...and you can see that this is true. But if we are ever to defeat terrorism, and terrorism is alive and well in this world today, then this war is necessary and it will not be the last. To turn our back and disregard the needs of our troops is to waste the lives that have already been lost and to dishonor the service of those that have been wounded and maimed for life, and to dishonor the memory of those that lost their lives on 9/11. How can we do this? The answer is we cannot and we must not. We have to give our military commanders the tools they need to get the job done so that they can come home to their families and the killing can stop...it's what really matters!
While the President is off talking to the IOC about getting the 2016 Olympics in Chicago, Ill. and that is so very important (please don't make me ill) he is having his high level staff headed up by Vice President Biden come up with ways to down play Gen. McChrystal's request and turn this around so as not to harm the President politically. How is that you say? Polls show that the war in Afghanistan is becoming very unpopular, so the President sure as hell does not want to appear like he is "Hawkish."
I just can't believe this. Why can't civilians leave the business of fighting a war, regardless of how unpopular it is, to the professionals that are trained for it and have spent their entire adult life preparing for and doing! It's called leaving the tactical decisions to the "boots on the ground." We did not do it in Vietnam nor any conflict/war since. And, because we do not do it young men and women in our armed forces die unnecessarily. This is the ultimate tragic consequence of what these senior WH officials are doing.
Gen. McChrystal's immediate military superiors support him in his assessment of the situation in Afghanistan. The General is also not being quiet about this as noted in the article above where it is stated he continued making his call for more troops in a speech on Thursday in London. This is going to get the General fired. Not because he is wrong, but because he is going against the administration and they will shut him up, or so they think, by ultimately firing him. What the General is doing here is standing up for his troops. He is doing the right thing! A solider can ask for nothing more than this sort of outstanding leadership. The group that should be getting fired are those making decisions in the WH and we could start with Vice President Biden.
Curiously Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is being somewhat mum on this issue. And here I thought Gates was a "breath of fresh air" after the control freak Rumsfeld. Now I am not so sure. Why can he not come out and say he supports the General's assessment or if he agrees with the polticos in the WH say so! That is a classic example of very poor leadership! The article above also points out that Secretary of State Clinton is remaining mute on this issue. Well she should because it is not a matter for the State Department.
The war in Afghanistan started as a result of 9/11. We the American public felt it was right to do then. The administration of President Bush knew it was the right thing to do. President Bush told the American public upfront that this was not going to be easy and it was going to take a long time. Why did he say those things...he did so because his military commanders...the boots on the ground...told him it was going to be like that. It has proven to be true.
Those that think that war is a nasty, vile thing are correct. It is! There is no doubt that war is nasty and that people die some very innocently and tragically. It is the nature of war. Look at history...look at the history of the Civil War...and you can see that this is true. But if we are ever to defeat terrorism, and terrorism is alive and well in this world today, then this war is necessary and it will not be the last. To turn our back and disregard the needs of our troops is to waste the lives that have already been lost and to dishonor the service of those that have been wounded and maimed for life, and to dishonor the memory of those that lost their lives on 9/11. How can we do this? The answer is we cannot and we must not. We have to give our military commanders the tools they need to get the job done so that they can come home to their families and the killing can stop...it's what really matters!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
You Wanna Know Why...Then Read This
October 1, 2009 — If you want to know why health care in this country is so high, then read this account from today's Austin American-Statesman online addition http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/10/01/1001clinic.html. What is happening to Lee Ann Murray is just flat out WRONG! And, it's not the fault of the health care provider in this case the Austin Diagnostic Clinic (ADC). Lee Ann has a very dangerous medical problem. Lupus is a nasty disease, those in my family know this to be very true, and this women is being forced to change Drs because of the failings of her health care insurance.
Is the problem the administrator of the health care insurance...in this case Humana Military Healthcare South? They are currently the administrator in this region for Tricare which is government provided health care insurance for military active duty and military retirees that cannot get to a military installation for their health care. The answer to whether they are part of the problem is an emphatic YES! My family and I also use this affordable health care insurance and on two occasions in the last six months Humana Military Health Care has inappropriately handled claims from providers of some of my health care. One of these claims is still not resolved after three months. The claim has a National Provider Indicator (NPI) number on it that did not match that which was on the authorization that was approved by Humana. An NPI is a number that specifically ID's a health care provider and every provider in this country has at least one of these and maybe many more. You see there is a different NPI issued for different types of specialities, different office locations, etc. This is part of the Medicare system in this country that was created by the federal government and seems so unnecessary and burdensome and causes much confusion. What is so wrong with having one number for each provider? Nothing in my opinion. And, the sooner the Feds get rid of Humana Military Health Care the better off we will all be...yes I said all of us. Even though you most likely have no connection to Humana Military Health care...you do have a connection through your tax dollars.
So, the other part of the problem here is the federal government. Their oversight of contracts they let to entities such as Humana is very poor. If a public option is to be part of any health care reform currently being debated, then the Feds better get a whole lot better at their oversight or the so called reform will be no reform at all, but rather a continuation of the same old problems and the cost of healthcare will never be controlled.
I have much empathy for Lee Ann Murray. She desperately needs care and her health care provider is abandoning her because of the problems they have with the insurance carrier. It has to be an incredibly scary time for her. This is just so wrong! Her healthcare should never be jeopardized like this. She and so many more like her deserve much better than this.
When you examine the health care debate in this country I challenge you to think about stories such as Lee Ann's. We have got to do better than this in this country...it's what really matters!
Is the problem the administrator of the health care insurance...in this case Humana Military Healthcare South? They are currently the administrator in this region for Tricare which is government provided health care insurance for military active duty and military retirees that cannot get to a military installation for their health care. The answer to whether they are part of the problem is an emphatic YES! My family and I also use this affordable health care insurance and on two occasions in the last six months Humana Military Health Care has inappropriately handled claims from providers of some of my health care. One of these claims is still not resolved after three months. The claim has a National Provider Indicator (NPI) number on it that did not match that which was on the authorization that was approved by Humana. An NPI is a number that specifically ID's a health care provider and every provider in this country has at least one of these and maybe many more. You see there is a different NPI issued for different types of specialities, different office locations, etc. This is part of the Medicare system in this country that was created by the federal government and seems so unnecessary and burdensome and causes much confusion. What is so wrong with having one number for each provider? Nothing in my opinion. And, the sooner the Feds get rid of Humana Military Health Care the better off we will all be...yes I said all of us. Even though you most likely have no connection to Humana Military Health care...you do have a connection through your tax dollars.
So, the other part of the problem here is the federal government. Their oversight of contracts they let to entities such as Humana is very poor. If a public option is to be part of any health care reform currently being debated, then the Feds better get a whole lot better at their oversight or the so called reform will be no reform at all, but rather a continuation of the same old problems and the cost of healthcare will never be controlled.
I have much empathy for Lee Ann Murray. She desperately needs care and her health care provider is abandoning her because of the problems they have with the insurance carrier. It has to be an incredibly scary time for her. This is just so wrong! Her healthcare should never be jeopardized like this. She and so many more like her deserve much better than this.
When you examine the health care debate in this country I challenge you to think about stories such as Lee Ann's. We have got to do better than this in this country...it's what really matters!
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