T.D.I.H. - Jan 19

On this day, in 1978, the last German-made Classic Volkswagon Beetle rolled off the production line. They continued to be built in Latin America until 2003. I seriously thought of buying one of the Latin American VWs new around 2000, but the costs to make it street legal in California were prohibitive. I really love Volkswagons....I've owned lots of them. But it's a kind of love/hate thing. I love them, but you wouldn't know it. Each one of my VWs has ended up fit only for scrapping. I'm really hard on them. (The squareback wasn't my fault...) I'd really like another squareback, or the original VW van in it's pick-up hybrid. This peculiar little car had a huge impact on America, and it will be a sad day indeed when they last one is towed off to the scrapper, or mounted in a museum. The new Beetle is OK as cars go....but it doesn't have the same panache as the original.

Hi Ho Hi Ho

Well, it is back to work today after a 3 week vacation. Getting up this morning is tough..I turn into a virtual vampire on my breaks...I was going to bed at 4:00 AM the last week, now the alarm goes off at 5:30 AM. I bet I got less than 2 hours of sleep combined last night.

The Breakfast Club

1) I have just realized how we can internalize things without realizing it. Remeber the scene when the prinicipal throws the Judd Nelson character into a closet and then basically threatens to beat him up? And promises to deny his threats later?

I kind of did the same thing once as a new teacher, without realizing I was doing it. I told a kid once that if I ever saw him as an adult I would kick his ass, and that I would deny that I ever said that. I was new, extremely frustrated, and this kid purposefully sabotaged my class every day.

It was wrong, and I regret it now. But I wonder if unconciously I was reaching back to this scene.

2) When I first saw this movie, and when I was young, I was on the side of the five kids. I just saw the movie last week, and I was struck by the fact that now that I am older and a teacher, I'm on the principal's side and think the kids are acting like a bunch of punks.

Hello, my Name is Gary and I am.....

...addicted to the Internet.

My computer broke down last Wed around 1:00 PM. It froze up and when I tried to restart it, Windows wouldn't work right. I tried to fix it, and then reboot it and nothing worked. I was without internet access until I went to my parents' house around 1:00 PM on Friday. 48 hours without being able to log on. I nearly went crazy! My whole life was disrupted.

Yet 15 years ago, I had no internet access. I managed pretty well.

Stop for a few minutes and imagine your life with no:

Internet
cable or satellite TV
cell phones
game consoles and handheld games
MP3 player

Scary huh?

Things You Should Know # 1,200,098

After you have been cruising down the freeway at 110 miles an hour or so.....60 MPH seems slooooow.

I'm just saying......

Allergic Reaction

If anyone cares, I have discovered that I am allergic to Anbesol (Benzocaine).

Frankly, I prefer the tooth ache.

TBL? Update 4/5/08

I went the whole week without soda...in fact without sugar. I had some caffiene headaches, but nothing I haven't had to deal with before. Diet food like Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisine still tastes like cardboard to me....I may simply go on Atkins again.

Thursday night we worked at McDonald's for three hours to raise money for my school. I spent three hours in front of the fryers. I can't believe I used to do that stuff for a living once. When I got home that night I drank 4 quarts of generic Crystal Light.

The lady at the DO never got back to me about weighing in...so who knows. My clothes continue to get looser though.

The Biggest Loser?

Well, I was nagged into joining a weight loss competition out at work. The big problem? They can't weigh me. The scales only go up to 350, and I peg it there. Someone from the district is supposed to call me this week to let me know where to go to get weighed.

I had already decided to try and lose 6 inches by the end of the school year. At one point last year I was at 68 inches, right now I am at 66, I want to get to 60 by the time school is out. So even if I end up not being in the competition, I have my own goal to meet.

The big thing, that will make a big difference, is cutting out soda. It's tough for me, and that's where my empty calories are. I can drink 4 liters of Mountain Dew in a day, easy. I figure I can drop at least 1,500 to 2,000 calories a day just by finally not drinking soda. It's been two days so far...so far so good.

To be honest, I really don't know how I got to be this big. Pyschologically I don't think of myself as this big. Two inches here, two inches there, and the next thing you know you can only buy clothes at the big guys store.

Well, Mom and dad have both lost a lot of weight in their 50's and 60's so it can be done.

One day I hope to be able to say I'm half the man I used to be.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho........

....It's back to work I go........

I go back to work tomorrow after two weeks off. This is a screwy trimester. We go one week, then we're off for four weeks, then back for four weeks, then off for two weeks, then back.......

I'm of mixed minds right now. I can't wait to see most of the kids again, and I'm teaching fun stuff in both grade levels. ( The Constitution in 8th grade and Feudal Japan in 7th grade) It will also be good to see my colleagues again.

On the other hand, there are my problem children. I have never had so many kids at one time that have stopped even pretending that school is important. I've got dozens of kids who can't even be bothered to cheat. I found myself hoping this morning that some of my least favorite students will have moved away during the break..... which is sad.

Hiatus/ Christmas Thoughts

Sorry for the hiatus. It's just been one of those periods where I've pretty much said everything I wanted to say on other people's blogs. I guess I need to start blogging more about what I am writing on other blogs.

I've been involved in some Second Amendment discussions, some presidential campaign discussions, the abortion debate etc.

Then again, this isn't my favorite time of the year. I hate what has happened to Christmas.

Now remember, I am not a Christian. I am a deist. But I am utterly opposed to taking the religion out of Christmas.

Turning Christmas into a secular holiday has just turned it into a celebration of conspicious consumption and greed. Now don't get me wrong, I'm firmly in favor of capitalism. However capitalism is an economic system, not a moral one. We need public morality, now more than ever.

So it's really hard for me not to be a Scrooge at Christmas. At heart I really am a generous person, but don't tell me it's my obligation to be generous. I really hate obligations. (It's a big reason I'm not married)

And I try real hard not to bum out people who really are into Christmas.

Take the staff Christmas party out at work. I never go. My colleagues and friends are always trying to get me to go, but I just can't seem to convince them that I would be a real drag, and that I want everyone else to be able to enjoy the night.

So, Merry Christmas.

More Fire Pics From Yesterday

Scenes From My Backyard 10/22/07

The Winds Keep A Blowin'.......

The wind has been blowing pretty hard here the past couple of days. My neighbor came and knocked on my door this afternoon to let me know my tree had fallen on my car. I probably would have never noticed until tonight when I went out to put my trashcans on the curb. My brother and I just spent the last couple of hours cutting it up and moving it off my car.

Happy Birthday Dad!

My Dad turns 62 today....and he's been semi-retired for a while now, but today he begins collecting Social Security. He quit smoking, got into pretty good shape, and is about to run a 5 K race. Looks like he's got years of retirement ahead of him to enjoy his grandkids. Happy birthday dad, and thanks for providing an interesting childhood for me, and giving me a love of history.

Update 11:30 10/13/07: Dad came in fourth in his age group, running 12 minute miles, which is pretty damn good for your first 5K at age 62.

ugggghhhhhhh

Still sick. Working sucks. waaaaaaah.

Go Away!

Leave me alone...I'm sick......

Happy Birthday El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora La Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula

Or as we know her today, Los Angeles. On this day in 1781, forty-four Spanish (NOT Mexicans or Aztecs), founded the city. The city was part of Mexico for only 27 years, from 1821 to 1848.



LA is now the second biggest city in the country. Sometimes it hard to like her, but I still love her............

Holy Crap!

The National Weather Service has just issued a tornado warning for Los Angeles! The announcement just came over the emergency broadcast system.

I thought part of our deal was we had to put up with earthquakes and fires but were spared tornados and hurricanes!

I blame President Bush and global warming!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my Mom's birthday. She was born on September 1, 1946. She is the youngest of five children. She was Los Angeles born, but has lived all over the world. She lived in the Middle East while she was a girl, and then followed my dad around (usually to England) during his career in the military, only to settle down back in So Cal when my Dad retired.

My Mom didn't have it easy by any means. She had two babies by the time she was 21, and was living in a foriegn country, poor and married to the Air Force as well as my Dad. My life was infinitely easier than hers. I treasure the fact that both of my parents are relatively young (61 and 62 to my 42) because I consider them my friends as well as my parents. We are probably closer than most because we spent so much time as a nuclear family far away from the rst of our relatives.

She shares her exact birthday with Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees. I don't how she feels about that, or even if she is aware of it. But I'll dedicate this one to her anyway.

Man I'm Getting Old........

Phoebe Cates was born on this date in 1963. That means she is 44 years old this year! What the hell? How did we get so old so fast?