School Dazed and Confused

Well, School has been back in session for two and a half weeks now. Last semester I got off to a really slow start and had to catch up on a half semesters work in the last two weeks. I fared well but those two weeks were rough for everyone here at the house. I told myself that I wasn't going to to that again this semester but it I am close to falling into that rut again. I think that this post will actually help me to get motivated and get off to a good start. One of the main problems is the cost of text books. I have 5 classes that require me to spend at least $100.00 each for books. Now, it is possible to by used books off the internet for much lower but I'm still figuring between $250 and $350 all totaled. As you know we don't exactly have a lot of dough to be throwing around so I am reluctant to order these books which means I am not doing all the reading I'm supposed to. You can see where this causes a problem. so, tonight I will force myself to sit here at the computer for a while and order the damned books.

I need to suck it up and spend the money. Don't misunderstand me, we're not broke or in debt, we just don't have much extra money. We can afford the books, but if I have the books then I can't use that as an excuse to not read. Those who know me are well aware that I have spent a lot of time in school. I am burned out. I am tired of it. I don't feel like it is benefiting me anymore. It was a benefit and i have learned alot, but i feel like their is nothing else they can do to prepare me for my career as an educator. But, there are requirements I must meet so off I go twice a week from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. I am taking 16 hours this semester. that's actually the fewest i have taken since the spring of 2005 (15). I can handle the classes, they are not hard by any means. I just don't have the motivation I need right now to get the work done.

What I have mentioned so far seems a little negative so let me assure you that I will not fail these classes ( I know that's what you were thinking). I am scheduled to do my student teaching in the fall. After this semester I have 2 classes to take this summer. I have already complted my education classes and all of my upper level social studies classes (minus 1 history class that I'll take this summer, I've made an A in every college history class I have ever taken<>

The problem here is that I am ready to start teaching. It is my passion and I am excited abouted it. So much so that I can't focus on what I am doing now because I am looking past now and into the future. I need to focus on the task at hand and take care of this semester. I'm just ready to be done. Don't worry, I'll get it done. I feel better already. maybe i could send Sadie to school for me, she likes books. She's even eaten several of them!

The Saints go marching in and we will go marching on!

So, I just wrote this really nice blog entry about he Saints season and the great effect it had on the city and the region. But, when i went to spellcheck it all went away. I am too aggravated to recompose it It would lack the emotion that the original had so let me just sum it up.
the Saints had a great season and have inspired all of us in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region. It may just be a football team to others around the country but down here the team isn't just the guys you see on the field, its the grandmother at home yelling at the TV, it's the little kid who wears his Deuce jersey to school and breaks the uniform code, It's the college professor who won't count students absent the day after the big monday night game. Its a team of thousands who live and fight for each other. If your not apart of it you will not understand what I am writing. But for those of you who are near to it you know that as go the Saints, so got the weather, finding money in the dryer and the crime rate.
This season manythings were changed and the saints were winners. That "never say die" attitude (thank you Walter Payton) has carried over to the citizens of the region and those currently displaced. The Saints have built a soild foundation on which to build for next year and we will continue to rebuild our homes, our schools, our business, our lives. But not the way it was. Like the Saints we will clean house, work hard, and build a winning city and region.
If you know what it means to miss New Orleans, then get to work and bulid the home of your dreams.

In the above post i used the word bulid instead of rebuild because the slate is clean and to rebuild implies i return to what was. I favor a return to what should have been and now can be. If at first you don't succeed, tear the damn thing down and build a better one.

Christmas and the Saints

I was one of the lucky ones who got to go to the Saints playoff game against the Eagles. The catch was that I had to sit with my mom. She is actually pretty cool to sit with. She knows a good bit about the game and will voice her opinion when she feels the need. It was a very enjoyable evening. But you can tell that 40 years of losing takes a toll on a person. The Saints were leading by 7 with about 9 minutes left in the 4th and the Eagles were driving. Our seats were in the upperdeck in the endzone. the Eagles had the ball third and one at the 5 yard line. Everyone in the dome is standing and screaming in support of the defense. I turned to my left only to see my mom sitting down watching the game on the jumbo screen. I asked what she was doing and she said she didn't want to see the Eagles score. "This is the playoffs woman, get up and support your team" was my reply. she did and Scott Fujita made a great stop forcing the Eagles to kick a feild goal. As we all know the saints won the game. Maybe it was that one extra voice. Everyone down here in the New Orleans area is buzzing about our boys, even Sadie is showing her spirit.

We went to Oklahoma for a couple days after Christmas to see my Dad, Janet, Stephanie "Q", and Poppy. It was fun. Tulsa may not be Vegas or any thing but it is a nice town-and clean. We were there during a warm spell between two blizzards. we only had to wear coats one day. Its a long drive and was Sadies first experience with long distance travel-11 hours. Prior to this her long was only an hour and a half. She did great. She only got fidgety when were delayed by a wreck outside of Norman Ok. I think they flipped over the "Sooner Schooner" and it took some "Cowboys" (OU/OSU joke) to get it rolling again. Every one was doing well. Dad and Janet took a liking to Sadie, they were probably sadder to see her go than Kristi and I. My dad (57) even got down on the floor to play with her. I had to take a picture because i am not even sure if there is a picture of him playing on the floor with one of his kids (kidding).

What I have learned over the last few weeks is two things.
1. There is nothing as important as family. Even if you don't see them or talk to them as often as you should, they are still a part of you. Love them, tell them you love them,show them you love them. try to see them more and be a part of each others lives. This goes for parents, siblings, children, grandparents, cousins, aunts& uncles, steps, halves, in-laws and outlaws. and with all of that said.........

2. All you can do is be you and do what you can with what you have. You can't make other people do anything or feel a certain way. you can't please everyone.