I'm Going To Be Hosting A Book Tour- YEA!

So, I agreed to host a book tour today! I am way excited. The author, Elysabeth Eldering, has published her first book and is working on the second. I will be posting LOTS more about the upcoming book tour. These books are way cool. They will appeal to reluctant readers because they are fact based and have an interactive quality to them! Check them out by clicking on the book cover!

Aside from that exciting part of my day, the rest went really well. My kids were good in class today (for the most part). We were able to hold our party for the raffle sale. We made over $2000! Now we only need about $1500 more dollars to get our marque. I wish we could find a sponsor/donor, but that is a chunk of change. We will have that by next year though!

Tomorrow is Friday and a blessed day it is. I am excited for the weekend. We are going to Colorado for a birthday party and to return a printer to Wal-Crap, I mean, Wal-Mart. We bought a $100 printer and got it home to find they had resealed a return with no ink, software, or cables and stuck it back on the shelf. We live over 2 hours from where we bought it! So, I am more than a little miffed! I will be for SURE if they give me any crap!

Well, I am off to bed!

Later...

Life... Part 2

Okay,

So I was surfing the net and I saw something that, especially as an educator, just REALLY got my goat! I saw an ad that said- "No More Studying, Buy Your Degree Here!".

The thought that crossed my mind was, "Wow!!! We live in a lazy, selfish, demanding world where people feel like they are entitled to what ever they want without doing the work!". When you can simply BUY a degree- what does that say about us as a people? Now, I am sure that no business in its right mind is going to accept a "bought" degree as grounds for employment (although, maybe someone will invent the "No More Work!! Free Paycheck- Just Click Here" website and hook-me-up), but still- the very idea that studying isn't needed to actually LEARN what you need for your degree is crazy!

So I guess when you go to the doctor, dentist, accountant, etc, pray they didn't just "buy" their degree! Like I tell the kids I am around- "If you don't work harder in school so you can run the country- I'm moving to Canada!" I am seriously concerned about this rising generations ability to run a country and provide for themselves without "mommy and daddy" holding their hands and giving them handouts!

So, that line of thinking, coupled with the overload of being home now, but not being home (as I am practically living at the school trying to get my room ready for 25 students in 2 weeks), canning vegetables from our garden (that was an adventure as we have never used a pressure-canner until today, and I am happy to report that we DID NOT even blow up our kitchen- Wahoo!) has really given me time to think.

About what you ask?

About a lot of things:

1) Why am I fat?

2) Why is it so hot?

3) Why am I poor? (Oh wait, I'm a teacher! Ha Ha!)

Ok, wait a minute, that's not what I was thinking- just checking to see if you are really reading of just scrolling!

I have really been thinking about my life. Where it is going, where it has been, what goals I want to achieve this coming school year(assuming I ever even get my room ready!), and really pondering my decision to pursue a Masters of Administration from the University of Utah. Do I have any answers for all these "thinks"? The short answer is NOPE!

But I will continue to ponder them and let you know as I feel inspired about the answers.

I have a lot to do tomorrow at church. I am the president of the Elder's Quorum in my church. I am conducting a presidency meeting at 8:00am with high councilor from out of town, I am teaching a Sunday school class with 13-14 year old kids(they are some of the kids I taught in 6th grade my first year back in town- should be interesting), and tomorrow evening I am meeting with a gentleman in my group for a one-on-one discussion of church and family matters. Busy, but focused.

Updates to Past Traumas:

1) I have tried to call Gordon of Spring Communications in Murray, Utah for several day now with NO return phone call. So he must have realized that he COULD NOT give me the discount he promised and is now avoiding me. I think I will have my little sister pay their store a visit and see if she can scare him straight! (Nobody messes with my little sister and lives to tell about it!)

2) I have never heard back from McDonald's after talking to the " human shield"- Don't expect much to happen there, but I think it would be great if everyone who reads this calls them and complains!

3) I think that I am over the Wal-Mart issues! I hate the store and will ALWAYS (as their theme is) will hate them.

And now for the exciting conclusion (sorry this post is long- but I missed a couple days and a lot happens in the life of an educator):

A) I helped my parents pour their cement foundation for the ginormous shed they are building in the "park" (they have a double lot and it has all the kids toys so we call it the park). I think I can safely say that I would NOT make a good full-time construction worker. I did learn a lot though, and I enjoyed helping them. They were paying the other men $10 per hour. When they tried to pay me I told them I will "deal with you later". I think that scared my dad. I don't want their money. Good grief, I owe them more money than I have made teaching in the last 7 years!

B) I don't remember after all the stuff I had in my head for this post. So if and when I remember I will be sure to share it with you! I guess that is what happens when you watch a count down timer that tells you you have very little of your summer left! Oh well, life happens!

Later...

Wally World Stinks (and Micky D's and ATT and ...)

I actually am trying not to be angry (AGAIN) over yet another Wal-Mart incident! I hate the store anyways- so what happened today wasn't all that shocking, I think it is more their attitude of "We don't care if we screw you over because there are lots of other people out there!". We made it here to Logan, Utah (which is a really nice city nestled in the Northern part of Utah) and decided that since we are on our last presentation and motel stay (thank goodness) that we would eat a good dinner (Olive Garden) and cruise the main street to see what was in Logan.

When we happened to see a Wal-Mart sign we decided to brave the store as we knew that they had a few items we needed. While visiting the toy department (because you ALWAYS have to visit that department so the kids will chill out) we saw the spinning globe lights and the all three tags below them read 88 Cents. We thought that was cool and added 20 of them to our cart. When we went to check out they rang up for $3.97!!! A huge difference. So they lady was going to override (which she should have seeing the entire display was mispriced and NOT my problem) the price for us. Well a supervisor was called, went and looked and brought all the tags over to "prove" that we were wrong and she was right. Now, I don't care about the price thing- whatever, but her attitude was rude, obnoxious, and irritated. As we left, my wife and I decided that we are going to start looking at other stores to support as Wal-Mart already owns most of the free world. So should you feel inclined- I urge you to also look for other stores to support. Maybe if enough of us get off the "Wal-Mart Addiction" we CAN make a diference in thier bottom line. I mean honestly, we have shopped at Target this week- I think they have just as good of prices and thier store is cleaner, people actually know what they are talking about, and you can find things you need that are IN STOCK!

So that is my rant on Wal-Mart.

I did hear back from McDonald's in Salt Lake today. That lady was also rude and unhelpful. All she said after I explained the problem was "I will pass that on to the owners". I said a lot of things (nothing my mother would be ashamed of) all to the same answer of "I understand, I will pass that on". I told her all she was was a shield for the owners so that they wouldn't have to hear how customers truly felt. I guess that is their problem as well. We refuse to ever eat at McDonald's again. (Which is truly ok as their food is D-I-S-G-U-S-T-I-N-G!!!!! :))

I guess I sound like a grouchy old man with all the issues. I could even tell you about my trauma with AT&T Cellular Service today as well, but I am still working on that.

Sometimes I just want to scream- WHY ME???? Why do I always get SCREWED over? But I do know that there are reasons beyond my understanding. So, deep breath, and moving on! :)

Tomorrow I am FINALLY finished with CORE Academy and I can focus on getting my classroom ready to go. YEA! And the count down timer will be at ZERO before anyone knows what hit them!

Check out my other blog if you get a minute (teachertechhelper.blogspot.com). I will be adding more posts as soon as I get home and life back to normal!

Thanks for reading,
Later...