Awesome Memory

A memory that stands out as "Magical" also happened at Disneyland which is known for its magicalness. I was dating Sandy and we spent the day doing what people do at this grand place. It was approaching the end of our visit. The parade was to start in about an hour and we decided to meet at the Crepe place (don't remember the name) and get something to eat or drink some hot chocolate. I believe it was Christmas time. This place is located on Main Street not too far from where you enter the park. I remember it was real close to the Abraham Lincoln attraction. We had our omelet or whatever and were getting ready to leave when the server said "Why leave"? "You have the best place to view the parade right where you're sitting. They start the parade right here". So we got refills of what we were drinking and 5 minutes later, it started. It was just such a cool, fun experience, one that we've always remembered..... watching the parade unfold so close to us. We were the first ones the characters would come up to. The whole experience was just wonderful. We repeated the event several times after, and while it wasn't as "magical" as the first time, it was still always a good time.
It seems like the last time we were there, the little cafe wasn't there anymore (maybe a victim of corporate America, and it didn't bring in enough revenue), but it's one of the memories that just stays with you for a lifetime.

Feeling Up

I went to see this wonderful movie today. My oldest son Ryan raved about it so I was eagerly anticipating a good time, and I wasn't disappointed. Without going into too much of the story line and ruining it for anyone, it is the animated tale of a man named Carl Fredricksen who after the death of his wife is about to lose his house to developers. You've seen the previews of how he uses helium balloons to transport his house. The script nicely sets up the story up to this point, which allows you to understand his reasons for doing such a preposterous thing. (hey this is fantasy, so you won't view it as preposterous).

I found myself getting a little weepy (I'm such a sap), 10 minutes in when the set up to the main plot happening.
The music was very well done as it covered several time periods and locations. The characterizations were on point. Carl is voiced by Ed Asner. Christoper Plummer (Sound of Music) has a main part. One of my favorite characters is a dog named "Dug", who is able to animate his voice in a nicely done magical way (you want to know how, see the movie).

There's enough in this movie to make the Kiddos and the adults thoroughly enjoy it. The humor is well thought out. When you're not laughing watching this movie, you're definitely smiling.

I highly recommend you see this in 3D if at all possible. I made a mistake and saw in in non 3D and plan on seeing it a second time. I don't do that often, so you know I loved this movie.

nothing in particular to say

It's been awhile since I've been here but have a few things on my mind. School is over so I have much more time for my blog and intend to visit it more often.

Foremost on my mind has been that of the happenings of the past year. In contrast to most other people, my happenings while somewhat depressing to me aren't really that bad compared to many people who are going through much worse. For me it's been a year of self realization. It's been a year of coming to grasps with who I am and what is important to me. It's been a year of disappointment and adjustment. I honestly don't think I'm having a mid life crisis, cause I don't feel regretful of where I am right now. It's just been a year of growth both spiritually and emotionally. It's been a time of awakenings.

I've always been a somewhat optimistic person, one that sees the glass half full. I'm always anticipating good things to happen to me. I think that's why the past year for me has been tolerable. It's my hope that over the next few blog entries I can address some of the stuff that has happened in the past 11-12 months. It won't be Earth shattering to the reader, but maybe it will help to further put the past behind me.

I sometimes think of the lyrics of a Gilbert O'Sullivan song.....

Whatever you are..... whatever you miss
Whatever you're thinking...... whatever it is
Whatever you feel and whatever you do
Remember there's always somebody
Worse off than you
Always somebody worse off than you
You know that there's always somebody
Worse off than you -

Yesterday it was learned a person died that was very active in the Tulsa music scene for the past 3 decades....here is what the Tulsa World Web site has to say. His name...Larry Dalton.

"Dalton was maybe best-known to Tulsa audiences for his work with the Signature Symphony throughout much of its three-decade history, in particular the Christmas concerts that featured Dalton's wizardry at the piano -- whether performing his own arrangements, a classical work, a popular standard, or improvising a medley from suggestions shouted at him from the audience.

But Dalton was truly a world-wide talent, from his days as part of the music ministry with Oral Roberts University, to working as an arranger, composer, conductor and performer with orchestras around the world, to overseeing an international music ministry -- the scope of his talents and the quality of his generosity often seemed boundless.

Tulsa -- and the world of music -- has lost a truly great and good man."


So while this is sad news for me, it's much sadder to many others....those that were close to him and of course his family.

so whatever you're going through, remember there's always somebody dealing with something worse....keep going....... you can make it!

Oklahoma city bombing

Today is the anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing. It's hard to believe it's been 14 years. I can remember where I was when it happened. I was in my Subaru crossing the Arkansas River on I-44. The morning show I was listening to was doing their 9 O'clock news and came in with the story at about 5 minutes after the hour. I think the bombing was at 9:02 so this was a quick responce. I went home and watched with the nation the recovery efforts. For me it was especially hard as these were fellow Okies.
Watching the memorial service the following Sunday was wretching. It stayed with me for weeks and still does to a small extent.

If you ever get a chance to visit the OK city bombing memorial, it would be time well spent. It will among other things remind you how life is so fleeting and how little control we really have on our mere existance. It's a place where we can go to reflect on our blessings and appreciate the wonderful life we have. So this anniversary reminds me to reflect on these things and that's definately not a bad thing to do.

State Testing, Susan Boyle and Choir Practice

Today my 3rd graders are finishing up their state tests and they have done wonderfully. Everyone I thought could pass... will, based on me walking around the room and looking at their responces. What great satisfaction comes at this time of the school year to see your kids really applying what you've given them. I remember watching one of my lower readers ponder a vocabulary question in which she had to come up with the right meaning for the word "stole" and while it took several attempts for her to come up with a responce, she got it right because she LOOKED for the context clue that made it "make sense" for her.

Last night was my first choir practice at the church we've been attending since October. Sandy joined the orchestra almost immediately but I was more hesitant to commit the time to a 90 voice choir. I haven't been part of a choir for about 3 years and it's been since college since I've done some of the material which this choir attempts. But I thought I would check it out. They've got me with the second tenors as that's where they needed me the most. I describe myself as a baritone with a rather nice range. My low end has suffered from not singing regularly and from age maybe. I can remember being a bass in high school and thinking what a macho thing it was to be able to sing "LOW" and thought all the tenors were just a little "girlie" because they couldn't sing low.

Well it was challenging for me and my sight reading was very rusty, but I think I'm gonna keep going and see what happens. It's one of those things where I have to measure my personal time vs. ministry. Theres gotta be some satisfaction for me to keep going. Maybe it will be new relationships that might be concieved. It will be challenging and that might be enough for me.

I need to talk about Britains Got Talent and the lady who wowed the judges and basically the world. Her name is Susan Boyle. When she made her appearance, the crowd and the judges weren't thinking the best as she is a little "simple" looking. But then she sang the whole place turned in an instant. She did a song form Les Miserables and nailed it. What a voice. You can check it out at http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4863134/12964979

State Testing and Jalapeno Cheetos

This week my 3rd graders are doing their State Profiency Tests so while it may seem a little stressful, for me it really isn't. After all, they either know it by now or they don't. So far they've done wonderfully and are taking great pride in doing their best. I've been blessed this year with some wonderful students. Seven of them qualified to go on a special field trip with the principal for meeting 100% of the qualifications of an online learning program called "Study Island". The most I ever had before was 4 qualify so this years achievement is exceptional.

Each year I learn to teach the material in a more effective matter and am already thinking about next years class and the approach I'm going to take. I am looking forward to that almost as much as summer vacation. NOT!

Have you tried the Jalapeno Cheetos that hit the Oklahoma market about 6 months ago. They are super addicting. I think they must have some kind of additive. I could swear I have an out of body experience while eating them. Maybe I just have a disorder. The funny thing is I used to not like Jalapeno peppers, but now I will put them on pizza, hamburgers and won't scoop them off any dishes that serve them with the entrees at the local mexican restarants.

Tonight I'm going to a choir rehearsal for the first time at a church Sandy and I started attending back in October. They mostly do a lot of the traditional pieces that I really haven't done in many years. It should be a great experience and am really looking forward to it.

Thank God for Bissell

Our bulldog Bella had quite the week. Earlier in the week she tore in to a shopping bag filled with candy for our boys Easter baskets which Sandy bought at Cracker Barrel. You know some of the classic stuff like Big League Chew and Razzles and other assorted goodies. Well she ate all the Razzles and sampled other stuff so we rushed her to the vet (just to bed sure) and 50.00 dollars later they told us she would be fine. Saturday night/Sunday morning, she got into a backpack Sandy had in Stillwater over the weekend for a trip she took with her high school students. We came home Sunday morning and found this huge brown stain on our carpet in the entryway to our house. Horror was the first thought. You can imagine what was going on in my mind as to what it was.
Turns out it was hot chocolate packs stored in the backpack that she and our beagle Sidney had their way with. Upon entry into the house and hearing the first sound of disappointment, Sidney makes a beeline under the bed and Bella just tries to be cute and playful, but her face gave her away with it bellowing out the fumes of powdered chocolate, and her paws covered in it with brown footprints all over the ceramic tile next to the carpet.
Hey at least it didn't stink and wasn't what I initially feared it could be. Dogs are doing fine and the Bissells working good too. I cleaned more carpet that I needed to but once you get it out you might as well use it for more than just stains.

March Madness

Yeah it's March so it's basketball playoffs and the hype that surrounds that is tremendous. I just returned from Kansas City and while the NCAA was having some of it's first round games at the Sprint Center just blocks from where I was, I enjoyed basketball at a different level, the NAIA playoffs located at the Municipal Auditorium. This is the oldest college basketball tournament in the country having been in existance since the 30's. 32 teams from throughout the country converge for a week of almost non-stop action. The tournament was in Tulsa for Several years in the late 90's and early 2000's and it was there that I got "hooked". I've always enjoyed basketball, both playing on a recreational level when I was younger and "lighter" and watching, but to get an overdose that is available like this is something akin to drinking a gallon of lemonade on a hot day. While it quenches the thirst, it's almost too much.
It was in Tulsa a dozen years ago that I attended my first NAIA tournament game. I was scanning the newspaper to see which game(s) I would like to take in when I noticed the alma mater of my best friends school was going to be playing. It was a school I was considering going to myself at one time, so I decided I would go to this game and root for them. So I went and sat behind the bench of this team. It was there that I met "the guys". I think I met Roger first, then the others. Just friendly guys who loved basketball. They had been going to this thing for years and I was taken in as one of there own. They ended up winning this game, so I returned the next night, and they won again. However the third time was not a charm and their team was defeated in a very close contest.
The next year they were back and we renewed our aquatance and I found myself sitting with these guys not only at their teams games but many more.
The next year it was the same.
Then the tournament moved back to Kansas City. The first two years I made the trip and got the overdose of basketball that these men had grown accustomed to. This year after about a 4 year absence (the tournament just didn't fall the same week as spring break) I decided to join these old friends (and some of them are getting up there in years) and saw over 20 games in a three day span. Whew.
So thanks Kenny, Louie, Artie, Denny and the Chaplain. It was a blast, And you guys are the greatest. I needed to get away from the routine that has been my life for the past several years.

A Real stimulus plan

OK so it might not be a business per se, although at one time it was considered one. The IRS considers it a hobby since I showed a loss for three years in a row. I have sold stuff on Ebay for over 6 years and have a feedback rating of over 13 thousand ...and sold exclusively on Ebay until last July when we decided to try Amazon. Now we sell over 90 percent of our items on Amazon.

Those that do this have different ways of finding items to resell and I've used many ways to locate what can ultimately turn a profit. For me it has been primarily Garage Sales, but I've found "stuff" at thrift stores, estate sales, libraries (the Tulsa one has a room in which they sell discarded books), surplus stores, dollar stores, and even regular retail outlets if you can get outragious deals.
Well it's been slow going for a couple of months due to the season (winter is lousy for garage sales) and the lack of time or energy. But we've had three great finds the last week or so and it has boosted our inventory and re-energized us a little bit. Our goal is to use the money we make to pay down what debt we have and now it's made me more focused on that.

First.......last week-end we found a garage sale that was selling books for a quarter and 50 cents. Eighty dollars later, I'm going home with a car load of books. It took a few hours to get them all listed, but it added about 150 items to our inventory and we have already made back our initial investment plus some.

Last Wednesday, while wasting some time waiting to pick up Ty at church, I found some clearance items at Borders and went in line to pay for the two items 75% off and was expecting the bill to be about 6 bucks. The cashier told me it would be 2.17 incl. tax...........(ringer went off in my head)........as I know that Borders will mark their items to one dollar as a final clearance price. I went back and bought over 50 more items.......increasing my inventory again........these items priced over 1000 dollars retail........... It says I saved 1,016 dollars on my receipt. One book retailed for 75.00 although when I later tried to list it on amazon, I found it only sold for a penny.....go figure......

So that's what makes it fun. I once found a first edition Think and Grow Rich signed by Napolian Hill. I paid .50 for it and it sat in a box in my garage for months until I listed it on Ebay and it ended up selling for 212.00.........another time I found a CD of Dizzy Gillespie Live on French Riviera for a dollar at a garage sale and it was bid up to 133.00.......and the people who won it were thrilled. They said that they played the LP on their honeymoon continuously so the music had extra special memories.

All I remember about my honeymoon is The Love Boat being on the TV on our wedding night. I don't have any idea what the story line was. We went to Knotts Berry Farm and traveled back to Oklahoma. Since then it's been "All Good" :)

Bull Husky

My family has an opportunity to adopt a English Bulldog/Siberian Husky mix. As you can tell it's quite unique looking. What we're trying to decide is if we want to be a three dog family again. We were for 10 years and at times it was challenging. It would make a great companion for Bella and it is unique. The downside is Bella is not house broken yet and we're not too sure we want two dogs making accidents. The other concern is health related. I'm not sure what this mix could bring as far as deformities and such. The mother had three puppies and two of them died the first week. She sure is cute in her own special way though.

The Government sure loves incentive pay

Because the wonderful school I teach in had such a good result with testing scores from last year, we were each presented recently with a nice bonus of 2,000.00 for being the second most improved in the state for Elementary schools with 500 or more students.
I came across the check stub and sighed yet again.
Federal Taxes 500.00
OASDI 124.00
Medicare 29.00
State Taxes 110.00

total deductions: 763.00

I guess this is the "new era of Responsibility". So.... I can choose to focus on what I lost or what I gained. I'll choose the latter for now.

I did think I was being responsible before though.

Wild West Show

Visited the in-laws, had dinner at their retirement community, Inverness Village, then went to what was billed as a Wild, Wild, West show put on in the founders room at said location. I've been a frequent visitor to Branson, Mo and many of the attractions in that mecca of entertainment, so I wasn't expecting too much, but was hoping for something mildly humorous with some nice music attached. I sat in the last row so I could make an easy exit if it turned out to be too stupid. I wasn't expecting much.

Aparantly this is a program put on by a local churches Sunday school class. The class consisted of people 65 years and older.

It started off OK with three gentlemen singing some little ditties and I was able to take in a couple songs I wasn't familiar with. Then what followed was a collection of lip sync acts with people dressed up as certain celebrities and doing one or two of their celebrity songs.

The first act I'll talk about later. The second performer ( I use that term loosely) was a gentleman who resided at Inverness who came out as Willie Nelson. Because he lived there he was recieved nicely and did a lip sync of "On the Road Again". He had the long gray braids hanging down from each side of his head but really didn't know the song and it couldn't have ended too soon for me. After that came the Oak Ridge Boys, again looking the part, but not knowing the words it just stayed flat. Next was Kenny Rogers doing The Gamber. He at least mostly knew the words and did the best job so far but it was still lacking. He did a second song with Dolly Parton who woke up all the men in the crowd (including myself) when she made her entrance. Dolly was played be a very attractive 60 something and the duet wasn't half bad.

Next was some live songs by Elvis who came out with a cane, made jokes about his age (not funny ones but they were jokes) and sang live. He looked pretty good, sang OK, but had none of the vintage mannerisms that make Elvis Impersonaters stand out. The show ended there. A little less than an hour, so I wasn't in total misery.

The first act was a man that they billed at The Tall Texan with his backup singers the Shorty Brothers who were dressed with jeans that went to the person's knees, shirts that went from the knees to the waist, and a tall hat that encompased the top part of the body so the performer could only see out of a cut out in the hat. The song Long Tall Texan brought back memories of high school when it was performed several times by some talented classmates. I remember Jeff Wirth doing the main vocals with Jim Smith on the piano and it seems there were at least others doing back up singing. I just remember it was a lot of fun to watch and was very entertaining at the time. Man those were good memories.

New Invented Seatbelt

New seatbelt that will insure accident rate to go down and insurance premiums to be reduced.

A Letter home from a Marine Recruit farmboy

A friend sent me this and I thought I'd share it


Dear Ma and Pa,
I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled. I was restless at first because you get to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. But I am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot, and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing. Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food, plus yours, holds you until noon when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much. We go on 'route marches,' which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A 'route march' is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks. The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The Captain is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none. This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges They come in boxes. Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake . I only beat him once.. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6' and 130 pounds and he's 6'8' and near 300 pounds dry. Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.

Your loving daughter, Alice

Esther Williams, Joe's Crab Shack and the Oscars

This Esther Williams is an expert on ADD and ADHD that I had the honor of hearing during a 6 hour workshop yesterday. Enlightening for me and I hope to use the information I learned to help those in my classroom who suffer from it.

Went to lunch today at Joe's Crab Shack. The coconut shrimp was great!

The Oscars are on and I find (as I do every year) that I have watched very few of these movies. I only went to 4 movies total last year, 2 of which will receive awards tonight.

I find that doing this blog is a fun experience and I think of wonderful things to write about when I'm out running around but am not next to a computer. Then when I get on the computer, I can't think of these profound things. Maybe they weren't so profound after all. Maybe I just don't need to say profound things on this blog. I'm not even sure why I want to do the blog or what direction (if any) I want to take it. I do think it may be fun to look back on it in a year and recall what I thought was important to me at this stage of my life.

Oh I got a really good deal on some shirts and a sweater at Penney's. I spent 30 dollars on 5 shirts and one sweater.

I think I want to see Slumdog Millionare.
I also want a bowl of Ice Cream.
I can take care of that right now.
Cookies and Cream........that's what I'm talking about.

Bella the snoring Bulldog

As I'm writing this, my bulldog Bella is cuddled up on a beanbag chair in my classroom, snoring away. She is dead tired after a day of attention from the many humans she came in contact with. She just turned five months old and she is just a hoot.

Listening to her snore is just so soothing. I logged on to rant about the pending housing rescue that is being considered in Washington and how I feel real angry that they want to take more money from me, my children and grandchildren to fund people that weren't responsible. I won't write more (and boy could I) because the sound of Bella is relaxing my soul. Thanks Bella.

I don't have any control over those idiots in Washington anyway. And I'm talking about 95 percent of them. They just aren't honest with us. The next great President will be honest. This one talks about transparency, then signs a 800 billion dollar stimulus bill that is 1,000 pages long, that no one has time to read. No wonder it wasn't bipartisan. The Elephants thought it must be bad but could go only on smell, not by what's really in it. Does anyone really want to read a 1,000 page document detailing how this money will be spent? Sounds depressing to me. Hope? Really?

Snore...........ahhhh.........thanks Bella.......it's time to go home.

Too busy to think so why a blog?

Today in class while discussing a story about an eagle raised as a chicken, I told my third graders what I have told every third grade class I've had. Besides being a teacher to my kids, I take great pride in being a mentor, advisor, and all the other "stuff" they expect me to be to them. I told them something I heard some dozen years ago and wished I had heard when I was young. What I told them was this......."It's hard to soar with eagles, if you hang around turkeys all day". I then told them how it relates to picking their friends and how doing this will have a bearing on how they succeed in life.

I hope you haven't picked too many turkeys in your life. I didn't, but perhaps there were a few that I have visited along life's journey.

I knew I wanted to someday start a blog and today is the day. But I hadn't thought about naming it. So I hope this name works for me. I thought about "Rantings of a fifty something". I'm not sure if ranting will be the focus of this blog. Hopefully I will keep it primarily positive, but if something is bothering me I hope to use this venue to "let off some steam".

So this may be somewhat of a stress releaser. Cool.