Aidan Officially Becomes a White Belt

I would assume a 3 year-old would need to be a beginner. Tonight, Aidan is officially a beginner.

In many martial arts, the white belt is worn by beginners. Keikogi often will come with a white belt packaged inside. Symbolically, a white belt is sometimes said to represent a tabula rasa, ready to acquire understanding of the art. In some styles, students wear white belts until they receive their first rank of black belt, while in others a range of color is used for different kyu grades (grades before black belt).

In Japanese arts, white belt-wearers are referred to as "mudansha". (according to wikipedia.org)

He had a really good night. Listened to his Master well and was very happy afterward tonight. Very happy because he got his uniform. He did not get his top yet though. They are going to stitch in his name. So for next class he'll wear his black t-shirt and pants with his white belt. He looks awesome.

Master put blue tape on the floor tonight to help the kids step and punch. Aidan struggles with that a little because the same hand and leg go at the same time. So we practiced a little tonight.



Won't be long and my boy will be a black belt! :)

New Phone - LG EnV2

I finally have found a phone for me. (I hope) Ordered it tonight and it should be here by the end of the week: Review from LaptopWorld One of the biggest problems I am having with my phone is a terrible keypad that makes instant messaging a mess for me. I am not a mad 'skillz' texter. So the clam shell Env2 really helps me. It has a full sized and easy to use keyboard inside.

Oh yeah, and it was free... after a $100 preferred customer rebate (been with Verizon forever) and $50 mail in rebate. So if it's free... it's for me!

According to the PCMag Review Hey parents: want to get hip and keep in touch with the kids in a way they'll appreciate? Head over to Verizon and pick up an LG enV2 VX9100. This cell combines solid call quality with big buttons and has a knack for SMS texting that might actually help the calls-only generation make the move to text messaging.

Sweet. One of my biggest things that I do with my phone is to message and send pictures to family and friends. Can't wait to give it a whirl later this week.

Teacher Banned for Using Book - Freedom Writers

CNN VIDEO: Teacher Banned for Using Book

Should this teacher have been given a year and a 1/2 suspension?

Wall-E

Great movie. Aidan = thumb's up. Norma = thumb's up. Me = big thumbs up.



Run, don't walk. Go see it. Very good.

Happy Birthday Grandma Fran!

Happy Birthday Grandma Fran 2008 from fordee on Vimeo.

Back from Dallas

I am back. What a week in Dallas. 4,000 people and I met in Dallas for the AVID Summer Institute. It was a great success for me. I met so many wonderful people. Our AVID Site Team at our school is off to a great start. I can honestly say that I am a better teacher after having attended.

That's really all you can ask of a conference, institute, or training. Did you learn a few new tricks? Did you leave there better than before you went? I definitely am lucky to be an AVID elective teacher.

This week I will be trying to pull everything together that I learned and do some planning for the new school year. It is going to be awesome to have a new freshman group and also my freshman group from last year will now be sophomores. Two classes of AVID is going to be a lot of fun.

It was also wonderful to see Norma and Aidan after being away for five days. Aidan was so happy to see me. It was great to hug, hug, hug. Tomorrow we are heading to see Wall-e. He is very excited.

George Carlin 1937-2008

A comedic great passes. A few lightning fast words of wisdom from Carlin:

"I've been uplinked and downloaded. I've been inputted and outsourced, I know the upside of downsizing, I know the downside of upgrading. I'm a high-tech lowlife. A cutting-edge, state-of-the-art, bicoastal multitasker, and I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond..."

Genius. He will be missed.

Dallas Until Friday

Well, tomorrow at 4:30am I wake up and hit the road. I am driving two ladies up to Dallas and we should arrive around lunch to check into the hotel and then the AVID Summer Institute.

I am really, really going to miss Aidan. He is just amazing right now. So much activity, learning a bunch everyday. But, that's what a cell phone, chat program and webcam are for! :) Hopefully he'll talk with me some. He knows if he's good - he gets presents!

I am hopeful the Summer Institute is good. I love AVID and spending a week thinking about it will be great. It will be fun to get up to speed with some people about how their summers are going. It will be wonderful to work with our new AVID teacher and see her excitement. It will also be great to spend time with my AVID "pard-ner" from last year and plan this next year.

No one will believe me, but I really miss my AVID kids. Some of them are pretty fragile and I just hope they have good productive summers and come back to me safe and sound. When they do, I'll be ready.

Workin' at the Car Wash

Last night we took advantage of the sun setting and washed the car. It is so oppressively hot here in the summer. As Aidan says, "It's too hot to do ANYTHING!" And it usually is. The afternoon is great for napping with the A/C on. :)

Aidan had a ball washing the car. And I had a massive stomach ache. So I took pictures while my 'thirds' (my 2 other thirds of the family) did the wet work.







Aidan couldn't help himself. We would say - "Don't shoot that water... Don't shoot that..." and it would be too late. Water everywhere.

But, he had a great time.





Until it was time to go inside... then he wasn't so happy.

The cars are now washed and ready for my trip to Dallas. I just have to vacum out the inside and do a little inside detailing work. It desperately needs done, even though the main reason is that I am going to be driving two ladies up to Dallas with me for the Summer Institute. The work inside the car has needed done for months. It's so filthy. It will be awesome to have a nice clean car tonight when we finish the inside.

Over the Rainbow

Today on our way back from karate practice, it started drizzling. The hot Houston summer sun was still shining. So Norma said, "I'm surprised there isn't a rainbow." So we started looking. Then we saw it. A big double rainbow right across the sky as we headed home on North Park.

I pulled the car into a church parking lot and pulled Aidan out to see it. He had never seen one in person before. I held him up and he had a lot of trouble seeing it at first. Then I could see his eyes pop open as he recognized it. And he started giggling and looking into the car, "Momma, I see it, a rainbow."

Later we got home and had dinner and I watched some of the news coverage of the memorial service for Tim Russert. I was amazed to see that the service was ended on the song "Over the Rainbow" and as they walked out of the Kennedy Center - there it was - A Big Double Rainbow. Awesome.

Here is Keith Olbermann's tribute from Countdown tonight. And you have to see the end where they show that rainbow Keith's reaction to it. Amazing.


I know I am over 1,000 miles away. I know there is no connection to the rainbow I shared with my son and that Russert rainbow. I do know that right? But, what made me stop the car, take my son out, and show him his first rainbow? Amazing.

Why Do I Pay So Much For Gas?

I had an argument with someone near the end of the school year. The topic was, "What could a President do about the price of a gallon of gas?" I believe a lot. For one, there is the "Enron Loophole." This should be required viewing of anyone who complains about the high price of gas:

So what's the deal? No BIG deal, you say? Liberal media making this up?

CloseTheEnronLoophole.com
A Pitfall Called the Enron Loophole:

The exempt-commercial-markets provision in the Commodity Futures Modernization Act -- also called the "Enron loophole" -- has turned out to be the Achilles' heel of the law. It was inserted at the eleventh hour at the behest of Enron's attorneys. There was never a hearing or any open discussion of this provision. The good thing it did was increase competition; for example, it helped foster the incredible growth of the Intercontinental Exchange. But the provision has resulted in some significant unintended consequences that need to be addressed now.

USAToday: Senators: Close 'Enron loophole, increase regulation'

The original idea was to create competition in the energy sector. That has backfired. Now the only competition is how much $$$ these oil/gas companies are going to make. WashPost: Exon Profits for 2007: $40 Billion

NYTimes: Exxon Mobil Profit Sets Record Again

The Karate Kid

Today we took Aidan to karate practice for the first time. As parents we were sweating bullets. Aidan has been home with us for a few weeks and not around kids very much. And the only adults he's ever followed directions from have been Norma and I and his daycare sitter Mimi. So we were nervous... did I mention we were nervous.

[Aidan is the kid in the back row, 2nd from the end, in the grey shorts and dark shirt. He doesn't have a uniform yet. He has his arm raised in the photo below.]


He did very well though. During setup of their Master putting tape on the floor for the 3-5 year old "Little Dragons", Aidan wandered off a bit and ran across the floor. There is a mirror that runs the entire length of the practice floor and he was pretty enamored with looking at himself run in it. And Aidan kept wanting to do forward rolls on the floor. But, finally he took his place and they began.

The kids all started with stretching, jumping jacks (one of Aidan's favorites), lots of toe touching, and situps. Aidan really struggled with the situps because he was lying on his back and couldn't see the Master. But, he worked very, very hard. I was proud of him.



At one point the master dismisses them and lets them go to get a drink after they have completed a task. Aidan didn't get this figured out at all. He just wanted to run all over the floor. So I brought him over and explained that he could get a drink if he needed one. "No dad! I don't need a drink." So he finally went over and sat with the kids against the wall.



I really liked how their Master made them help each other carry mats and then return them when they were finished. They also had some older kids help Aidan with a throw at the end. He really didn't get it... but, he tried. By that time our little guy was pretty spent.

Aftwards Master Peavy took us into his office and explained the program. He said that the first two weeks are free. Then there is a payment for his uniform (right now he doesn't need one - but, boy does he want one!). They are pretty cute with little purple and green dragons on the back. Their names are stitched into the front of their uniforms.

Master Peavy said that every black belt that he has is either in college or has been accepted into college. He said it with a lot of pride and explained how the dedication it takes to succeed in this sport directly relates to the classroom. As teachers, we totally understand that helping kids to be disciplined and to be focused is a very important part of getting and appreciating an education. The cost is $89 a month. And we think that is a small price to pay for the lessons a 3 to 5 year old will learn. He has two classes each week - Monday and Wednesday.

I am very depressed that I will be gone next week in Dallas for the AVID Summer Institute (did I really just type that? I have been looking forward to it for so long.) But, I am going to miss his next two classes. I am really down about it. Because I want to help him prepare for each class by working with him a little bit each day.

Tonight we practiced forward rolls, our left from right, and jumping jacks. Aidan is learning and he does it with a real eagerness and a smile on his face. My Dad would have just been ecstatic to see these pictures. I can hear his voice right now, "The coordination he is learning is going to help him so much when he starts baseball (or basketball... or football... or chasing after girls!)."

I miss my Dad so much. It is days like this after watching the Tim Russert Memorial on TV and spending so much wonderful and fulfilling time with Aidan that I realize why they called him "Dad" at work and why he loved being a dad so much. It is really the best job in the world.

My Boy The Photographer

Aidan has been very excited about the new camera. He has been posing like a model. But, he has also wanted to use it. I was very leary at first. This is a nice camera.

It is my belief though that I should work as hard as I can to teach him things and redirect him to positive behaviors. He is going to grab the camera off a shelf and probably do some damage if I don't explain how to use it. So i showed him how to grip it and how to shoot.

This is one of the very first pictures that he took:

Not too bad, considering the poor subject he had to shoot!

Here he is in our bedroom as I am teaching him and I showed him how to click the button... didn't realize it would take such a neat picture:


Maybe he'll be a big time photographer someday? You never know. And these were his first steps towards some kind of Pulitzer Prize! Although I may have to buy him one of these instead: Fisher Price Camera for Kids.

It's all about civil rights...

Check out the video: Million For Marriage


I sent this email out to some friends today:

Dear Friend,

Do you want to live in a country that legalizes discrimination? Despite the recent California Supreme Court decision that denying same-sex couples the right to marry is unconstitutional, efforts are underway throughout the country to take away rights from same-sex couples.

I just joined thousands of others in showing my support for marriage equality for all. But recently, proponents of bigotry and hate collected even more signatures in an attempt to invalidate the California Supreme Court decision. And they won't stop with California - extremists are even trying to add a ban of marriage for same-sex couples to the U.S. Constitution.

We are at a turning point in our nation's history and I'm hoping you'll join me in standing up against discrimination. Please sign the Million for Marriage petition and get us one name closer to showing that Americans overwhelmingly support marriage equality!

http://www.MillionForMarriage.org

Every committed couple deserves to enjoy the privileges and responsibilities conferred by marriage. Add your name to the petition and be a part of the movement to fight for marriage equality for all.

Thank you!

Obama - "The University of Chicago Democrat"

This is a very well-written piece about Barack Obama. Obama: The University of Chicago Democrat

I have been reading his first book - Dreams From My Father and I find this piece to be right on the money as far as the person I am learning about in the book. Obama has a sense of simplicity and common sense about him that is refreshing. This part of the piece in particular, is a retort to the common conservative smears against Obama:

Many people are emphasizing that Obama is a terrific speaker; they are wondering whether he has substance as well. But those of us who have long known Obama are impressed and not a little amazed by his rhetorical skills. Who could have expected that our colleague, a teacher of law, is also able to inspire large crowds?

The Obama we know is no rhetorician; he shines not because he can move people, but because of his problem-solving abilities, his creativity, his lack of partisanship, and his attention to detail.

In recent months, his speaking talents, and the cult-like atmosphere that occasionally surrounds him, have led people to ask about the substance behind the plea for "change" - whether the soaring phrases might disguise a kind of emptiness and vagueness. But nothing could be further from the truth. He is most comfortable in the domain of policy and detail.

I do not deny that skeptics are raising legitimate questions. After all, Obama has served in the Senate for a short period (less than four years) and he has little managerial experience. Is he really equipped to lead the most powerful nation in the world?

Obama speaks of "change," but it is reasonable to ask: Will he be able to produce large-scale changes in a short time? An independent issue is that all the enthusiasm might serve to insulate him from criticisms and challenges on the part of his own advisers--and, in view of his relative youth, criticisms and challenges are exactly what he requires.

Fortunately, the candidate's campaign proposals offer strong and encouraging clues about how he would govern; what makes them distinctive is that they borrow sensible ideas from all sides. Some people are describing Obama as a conventional liberal, or as "the most liberal person in the Congress," but these descriptions are preposterous. Obama is a pragmatist, first and foremost, and he defies the standard political categories. In this sense, he is not only focused on details but is also a uniter, both by inclination and on principle.

This is a very important election. In the past few days I have come across a number of blogs from people that can't seem to make up their mind between the two candidates. But, look at their stance on the issues. Which do you favor? These candidates are polar opposites in so many ways. I won't get into race (but one could say this is black and white - without looking at skin color!). One candidate is tall, one is short. There has never been such an age difference between two candidates for President. But, it's the issues where they are really different.

So don't think about who you'd rather have as a friend. Think about which candidate will support your views on the issues that are important to you.

John McCain.com
Barack Obama

I encourage you to vote, like I do for my students. But, I encourage you to think before you do it. Do at least as much research as you'd do buying a new car or cell phone. Test drive these guys. Give them a spin and kick the tires a bit. It won't hurt. And you might learn something about yourself in the process.

Father's Day Cake

Haircut - Before and After

Aidan came down to my bedroom this morning and said this:

Dad, we are gonna make you waffles and breakfast in bed... and you can stay in bed all day long!

I ate the waffles at the dining room table, but it was still a great offer. :)

After my father's day breakfast of waffles and coffee... we cut Aidan's hair this morning. I took some pictures of him as before and after. He is quite the ham with the new camera. It's almost as if he's a model. He yells, "Now!" as he poses. What a kid!

BEFORE:



AFTER:



He's a little lighter and more streamlined.

The Girl Effect

I found a great video clip today:

This will help me convey to my students what needs to happen to solve the issues in Africa and across impoverished regions of our world. Very effective. Music, Text, Ideas - solutions. I like it.

GirlEffect.Org

This will really be a wonderful way to review all of the issues we study during our 5th six weeks period. The kids made great videos this year but, I like to bring it all together in the end with a theme. I really like the economic encouragement that this video discusses. That's the answer: $.

My First Picture - D60

My first picture from the new camera:


Very exciting! No more red-eye fixes for Aidan! Awesome.

Nikon D60 - My Father's Day Present

Norma and Aidan got me a great Father's Day present this year. The Nikon D60 Digital SLR camera. I am very excited about trying this out. Right now the camera battery is charging and I am just waiting for it to finish to begin using the camera. It is very impressive:



I'll shoot some pictures later and put them up here to see how they look!

Thanks Norma and Aidan! It's not even Sunday yet and I have already had a great Father's Day.

Tim Russert 1950-2008

Tears are streaming down my face as I watch NBC Nightly News and the report about the passing today of Tim Russert. This election will not be the same and will not be right without him.



Really sad.

I am a political junkie, as readers of this blog know. Sunday mornings just will not be the same without Tim. And I don't think I will ever watch an election night coverage on television without thinking about what Tim Russert would say about it.

He was the longest serving host on the longest running television program in history - NBC's Meet the Press. But, he was also the leader of the NBC Political team.



He died at 58. Same age as my father... and with father's day on Sunday this is a tough weekend made tougher for me.

Greenbelt Fun

This morning we got up and got out. Norma and I took to our bikes with Aidan in the bike trailer attached to my bike. We went to a couple of parks that he had never been to and had a great time in the sun. We also spent a good deal of time biking down the greenbelt trails.

Map of the Greenbelt Trails in Kingwood



These trails are one of the biggest reasons we moved here. It is hard to imagine unless you spend time here. But, the trails are probably about 20 to 40 yards of tree-lined concrete bike and hike paths that connect all of our community. There is said to be about 60 miles of trails. [actually, the Kingwood Site says this about the greenbelt: "The greenbelt is a system of 75+ miles of interconnected hike and bike trails running through Kingwood's naturally beautiful woods and lakes."]

In our neighborhood the green belt trail is right behind our house. We have a circular road that goes around our section of our village. Down the middle of the circular roadway is the greenbelt. The greenbelt runs between the houses in our village. This creates a tree backing in every backyard. It gives Kingwood the wooded feel that it should have, since it was wooded area before they built all these homes. But, instead of plowing all the trees down, they kept them and built around the forest. It gives Kingwood it's nickname "The Livable Forest."

Livable indeed.

I found some old pictures of the green belt from posts that I have made in the past:

From the post: Wednesday May 17th, 2006: My life - A Walk in the Park

-and-
March 16, 2006: Trip to the Zoo Gone Bad. Here is a picture from that day:

What a cutie! What happened to that little baby? He has gotten a LOT bigger.

"Not too Important"

Keith Olbermann builds a very constructive argument in regards to John McCain's comment that it is "not too important" when we come home from Iraq. The next day McCain said that his words need to be taken into context by what he said around that 'not too important' comment. Keith gives some context. The first minute and a 1/2 could be a commercial that Dems could run 24/7 and win the election with. McCain is, at this time, his own worst enemy. A special comment by KO:



Context indeed.

Rachel Maddow is so smart!

I love Rachel Maddow. Whenever she talks politics, I always learn something.

You can always check here out here: Rachel Maddow Show on AirAmericaRadio

Fun At Chuck E Cheese

He's got 'mad' driving skillz!

There Can Only Be One

This was REALLY, REALLY well done. A play on the NBA Commercials on ABC/ESPN.

Countdown's Look Back at 2008 Primaries

Keith Olbermann provided a look back at the Primaries. Gawd, such memories. Misty-colored memories of the way... we were. God it lasted FOREVER!

Evolution of Dance

My Kung Fu Kid

Using PowerPoint Effectively

PowerPoint Extreme Makeover
I found this very interesting. As a teacher that uses PowerPoint for a lot of my notes, I have been rethinking how I do them and how I use them. This presentation made a few points that I really need to incorporate for next year:

*The use of graphics for bullet points.
*Keeping slides very simple and basic. Convey your point.
*Have a detailed script or outline for the lesson. Have a beginning, middle and end of the story. Use the notes section of the presentation. (I NEVER do this! But, how helpful will that be when I am old and forgetting some of the key points I have used in the past?)
*Start using Flickr to find some great photos. I already use Google Images a lot. But, going to a few more picture sites would be helpful.

A book that Dean Shareski mentions is one by Cliff Atkinson. He wrote a book called "Beyond Bulletpoints." Might have to look for that one!

A few points in the presentation that I have already started doing:
*Get rid of the templates! Start with a blank slate!
*Use visuals that really captures the audiences imagination.
*Using blank slides or blanking your powerpoint to pull the audiences attention away from your slide and back to you. For me, I need to do this to pull the screen and write on the white board. I may try to have a side whiteboard that I can draw a few things to make a point while doing Powerpoints.
*Boxing texts to frame it, highlight it, and make it easier to read.
*I hate garbage clipart! I never use it. A high quality photo is much better every time.
*Using appropriate fonts. Font types can convey a message.
*Using a remote mouse. Absolutely something I love. To keep kids more into the presentation by moving among the class.

Here is his full video. It is 20 minutes long. But, worth the time and effort if you are a teacher that wants to create more dynamic and interesting presentations.

Kung Fo Watching

Do I even need to say that Aidan loved this movie? The critical question though is what did Norma and I think of it.... (in my best Jack Black impersonation) "Awweeeesome!"

Made some awesome bucks at the box office this weekend, too!

5 Minute Unniversity

I am going to use this tomorrow in my ACP class as well. Love it!



The obvious message for my student is that teaching should not be about rote learning. There is more to learning and more ways to learn than memorization. Creativity is very important. Fostering the creativity within your curriculum is a challenge, but not one that a new teacher should shy away from just because it is hard work.

Insights on Creativity

I bumped into this video tonight while doing a search for some material for my Alternative Certification Class. I teach it twice this week and I really want to have two great classes.

I can't use this video, since I can't export it from this website, but it is still full of great ideas and very funny. If you are a teacher, please enjoy:

A Fun Time at the Game

Last night was a "Suite" night indeed. A fun time at the game. The Astros did not win, they lost 8-4 to the hated Cardinals. But, sitting in the suite level was an experience all to itself. I doubt I'll ever have the chance to do that again.

The suite level is sweet. Wide and carpeted. Catered and comfortable. What a way to watch a game. I felt for a night what it must be like to be one of those "big cat" business owners.

The teachers who got to go were smiling ear to ear. There were only 4 pairs of people there. I spent a lot of time talking to the woman who organized the night. She is the person in charge of grant writing in our district. She helped to organize a fund raiser for AVID this spring that raised $6,000. We discussed the future of AVID and how I would be glad to do anything to help raise money for the program. That was a nice hidden advantage of going last night.

It was also great to be out with just Norma. As much as we love Aidan and taking him out and experiencing things, it is wonderful when we get a date night. They are few and far between. It reminded me off all those games we used to go to together in the old Astrodome and all the fun we've had together at the new stadium.

But, I also thought a lot about taking Aidan to his next game. He has gone to two games and enjoyed it. This year he should REALLY enjoy it. The Astros have a lot of great things for kids to enjoy and keep entertained. It really is a wonderful family experience.

We are thinking about getting him down there during an afternoon or evening in the month of July.

A Suite Deal

Norma and I are heading to the Astros game tonight. As a part of the "Teacher of the Year" stuff I have been invited to attend in an executive suite. I am very excited. We have never sat in an executive suite and it's the only place in the stadium that I have yet to visit.

Some details:Seating Capacity 14-110 (suite sizes vary)
2008 Price $150 per seat
$300 per seat on (6/13-6/15, 6/27-6/29)
Legends Suite
If luxury is your goal, our suites are the ticket. Beautifully appointed with a bar/buffet, socializing area and closed-circuit TVs, our suites offer privacy and comfort for personal and business entertainment. Luxury suite catering is available with an array of food and beverage packages with service attendants.

Suites offer the privacy and comfort for personal and business entertainment.

Amenities
All of our Minute Maid Park Executive Suites come equipped with the following amenities:

* Television monitors, telephones and in house stereo system.
* Theater style seating along with living room style atmosphere in majority of suites.
* Enclosed private climate controlled concourses with lounge areas.
* First class catering provided by ARAMARK catering services.
* Large floor plans and spacious interiors.
* Attentive Suite Staff.
* Club Level access.
* One Lot A Parking Pass included per suite.
* Sliding glass doors open to stadium chairs, which are conveniently designed to seat your guests in two rows.

We have a parking pass. And the tickets say, "Price: $150.00" Amazing! It should be fun. I'll write more when we get back and I might snap a few pictures. :)

Num... what? Spelling Bee Moment of the Year

This was great..

Asif Mandvi @ Hillary's Speech

This REALLY cracked me up.


Did you see how few people were actually there? Sad for her. It's all over tomorrow - her major concession speech is at high noon.

Aidan's Last Day of Daycare

We had a really great 3 years with Mimi. Aidan has become a wonderful young boy because of her guidance with him. This week was his last with her.

I am really going to miss going over there after work and playing with the kids. It was the thing that knocked the school day's woes off me. And seeing Aidan was happy and healthy made me relax.

Now we will be taking him to Kingwood's Kindercare in Town Center. We are very happy with the place. Perfect location. They will drive him to kindergarten and elementary school. That is essential because we have to be at work at 7am and he won't start elementary school until much later in the morning. And the price is right.

It is also on the way to work. So we'll be driving a LOT less. Which is awesome. Especially with gas prices the way they are. This will be a nice way to start the new school year. It is going to be a lot different at our school and it will be a lot different for him. We are all going through changes together.

But, I will miss Mimi and her house and her wonderful ways with Aidan. It was a perfect situation for us and we are so lucky to have had the time with her. I am going to put together a couple of pictures in a frame for her and drive them over for her later in the summer. One picture is her with all the kids after Aidan's first year with her. He is so little. And the second picture will be the one below. He has grown up so much!

Day of Days - D-Day

June 6, 1944. Operation Overlord (The Allied Invasion Name) and Operation Neptune (the Amphibious Assault on Northern German-occupied France).

The initial D in D-Day has had various meanings in the past, while more recently it has obtained the connotation of "Day" itself, thereby creating the phrase "Day-Day", or "Day of Days". (according to WikiPedia: D-Day

May we never forget the sacrifice of those brave men on that brave day - June 6, 1944.

Pens Come Up Short

The Red Wings pulled it out. Game Six, up by two goals with less than two minutes to play... it was over. And then it wasn't and it was in doubt. The Penguins scored a late goal to make it a one-goal game. Then they just missed the game tying goal at the end of regulation.

It was tough to watch them lose, but exciting none the less. This was a fun team. I hope they bring back Hossa next year so that they can make another run at the Cup. It will be fun to watch! He just about tied up the game with this tip in at the end...



Ohhh! Look at how close that puck is to going in! It was incredible. But, you have to give the Red Wings their due. Great team all-around. Reminded me of the old Soviet Union teams because they were just cold-blooded and professional. Did what they had to do and never panicked.

Can't wait to see what happens next year for Syd the Kid and the Pens.

Astros Pick - Jason Castro

The Astros selected a catcher in the first round today: Jason Castro, Catcher, Stanford U.

6'3" 215 lbs. Good bat from the left side and a very quality throwing arm. I am excited by this pick because it certainly is an area of weakness on the major league club. But, with any catchers, they take time to develop. College coaches call all the pitches, so a young catcher has to come in and learn to work with pitchers and call a good game. But, he went to Stanford... so dude is probably working pretty well between the ears!

According to the Stanford baseball website, it says that Castro's "Favorite Stanford Baseball Road Trip: Texas." So he'll get to see Texas again real soon. :)

Killing Education - But, not so softly

I came across an article suggested by this blogger today: MsGeorgeMsEnglishTeacher at Blogspot

Killing Me Softly: No Child Left Behind
The President’s education plan is hurting students and teachers
By Jordan Sonnenblick -- School Library Journal, 5/1/2008

Very interesting view of a teacher turned author who left education. He says because of No Child Left Behind and the damage it is doing.

I see it a little differently in our district. Our state - Texas - has locked funding for school districts at 2004 levels. So that means that a district like ours which is growing in leaps and bounds is in debt. We have a 25 million dollar deficit in our budget for next year. So that means major changes are coming. Staff and administrative reductions. Elimination of a planning period. And possibly the elimination of some extra-curricular activities - like freshman sports.

It is frustrating to see things the way they are. But, our crazy legislature in Texas meets once every TWO YEARS! So they are very, very slow to get anything done. And they are most Republican... which is probably a bigger problem. It is my belief that many in power simply want to see the current system fail, blame teachers, and redo the system with vouchers for kids to attend any school (public, private and religious). Sad. Because what happens is the kids are the ones that lose out in all of this.

Hopefully we can continue to put pressure on people in Texas and get some kinds of solutions soon.

What I have been waiting for... FINALLY Obama Does It!

Wow, no... Triple Wow!

FIFTY FIVE SAVES! Wow.
Pens 4 - Wings 3
Triple OT

AHS 2007-2008 A Look Back

This year I created a video for each one of my World History classes. I had 5 gigs of pictures and video from the year. So I divided the pictures up by periods and then created a 15-20 minute video for each class.

We watched them at the end of the year and enjoyed the look back. I have my World History Period videos password protected (if you are really interested in seeing them, email me and I will send you the password - I do not want it open to the public to view).

This was my "Introduction" video. It is pretty short but shows some 'school pride' kind of things. It was a great year.


1_Introduction: AHS 2007-2008 Video Intro from fordee on Vimeo.

First Graduation @ AHS

I brought home one of the mortar boards for Aidan. There were dozens that the kids didn't pick up off the floor at the end.

We did it. Our high school graduated our very first class - the class of 2008. It was an amazing day. I was very honored to read my 158 white house names of students as they crossed the stage. It was nerve wracking and crazy to be in Reliant Stadium in front of all of those people (the entire bottom of the seating bowl was filled - the stadium was divided in 1/2 for the ceremony).

I had a seat on the stage to see it all. What a special opportunity. Our school is divided into 4 small learning communities - blue, red, gold and white. And each community has 2 houses with 400 kids each. In each of those houses there is a principal and counselor team that take care of the 400 kids. Most all of the kids have their classes in their house. But, athletics, electives, etc are outside of the house. This creates a small school within a big school environment. I really like it and it gives the kids a lot more support.

So we graduated in our houses. I got to announce names for the White House. It was exciting to be up there in front of all of those people and help the kids experience their graduation day. It went by pretty quickly. The biggest problem that I had was when I announced a kid that I really love. I got a little choked up and hesitated some. Otherwise it went pretty well.

When there was one last name to announce (I went last - white is last alphawise), I said, "AND..." The place went wild. The power of that little word "and" - which signified that this would be the last senior to walk across the stage. After that a roar from the crowd and the kids went wild. Then I had the special chance to introduce two of the kids that wrote a song about their class and performed it on stage. I had never been a part of a song like that during a graduation before. It was really special.

On the way back on the bus all of the teachers had a real lift off our shoulders. It went well, it was over and we had graduated our first ever class at our school. It has been a wild year and we have a lot of changes coming for 08-09, but it was fun to cherish the experience and smile.

Last year we didn't have any seniors - so no graduation. So this was two years in the making. And it was well worth it!

The red robes looked sharp!