Will Blog For Rootbeer

All Forgiven

2011-02-06T19:10:00.000-08:00

So, for the past 2 years, I have been brooding about my Cardinals losing against the Steelers in the last two minutes of a game. All is forgiven! Thank you Green Bay for beating the Steelers. Thank you for making their quarterback look like an amateur. Thank you for giving them hope in the last two minutes of the game, and then dashing it against the rocks. Thank you for fulfilling the small bit of revenge I had harbored deep inside. I can rest easy!

Now then...back to class work. I started my Masters courses at NAU in January. Since then I have had the following schedule. I work from 6:30 to 4:30 at the school. This includes waking up, getting dressed, yadda yadda. At 4:30, I start to get my materials ready for the next day. I come home and get started on school work, mixed in with house work. This goes from about 5:00 to 9:30, with dinner mixed in. At 9:30, I put away my books and think about the homework that I need to grade. IF I'm lucky, there will be some time during the next days prep to get it done. If not, I will have to let it stack up until Friday, when I plan on being done with my masters courses for that week. This repeats on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday I come home, eat dinner, and go to my church meetings until 8:30. I am the ward secretary and assistant clerk. I come home and post to my discussions, which I actually need to do right now. IF I don't, I will need to read through 70 posts tomorrow, instead of just 35.

On Thursday I do more class work, on Friday I try to finish my classwork, and on Saturday I do my grading, lesson plans, and housework that I didn't get to during the week.

So, if I don't post, I apologize. I have some other stuff on my mind.

Christmas Vacation

2011-01-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

I tried to blog the twelve days of Christmas
and couldn't finish the post
I guess that song just can't be finished
as it is longer than most

I taught some attourneys how to use a Smart Board
for the most part they did well
although spending three hours with me
could have been their personal hell

Amy and I had two amazing Christmas dinners
with the parents, Linda, Zach, Elizabeth, and Bill
after having that much food the question must be asked
who will need a stomach pump, I know that I will

I didn't step into the classroom
trying to avoid all of my work
I'm sure that I'll be really stressed out
when an avalanche of stuff results from my shirk

Amy and I went down to the valley
to spend New Years with Pat and the Copes
We had a great time playing games and talking
such a wonderful way to begin a new year with new hopes

So now is the time to get back to work
no more time for vacation, but that is alright
cause in this new year we have a chance to complete
any set goal with all of our might

Happy New Year!

12 Days of Christmas Break Finale

2011-01-02T19:51:00.000-08:00

Yeah...I never finish the song either!

12 Days of Christmas Break

2010-12-24T06:58:00.001-08:00

On the fifth day of Christmas Break
You would have seen Amy and me
at dinner with my family
being really lazy
looking at Christmas lights
painting stuff for Amy
and watching Tron with my daddy

12 Days of Christmas Break

2010-12-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

On the fourth day of Christmas Break
I spent the day inside
being as lazy as I could be
watching Christmas lights in Holbrook
painting presents for Amy
and seeing Tron with my daddy

12 Days of Christmas Break

2010-12-24T06:47:00.000-08:00

On the third day of Christmas Break
We went to go and see
Christmas lights in Holbrook
Painting presents for Amy
And watching Tron with my Daddy

12 Days of Christmas Break

2010-12-22T05:36:00.001-08:00

On the second day of Christmas Break
You would have found me
Painting presents for Amy
and watching Tron with my daddy

12 Days of Christmas Break

2010-12-21T06:21:00.000-08:00

On the first day of Christmas Break
I got to go see
Tron Legacy with my daddy

Lying on the Couch

2010-12-16T05:45:00.001-08:00

Don't get me wrong, cause I'm no slouch
but I love to lie here on the couch
I sit and fix my rosters for football fantasy
and ignore the urgent need to pee
for I know that when I arise
my body will no longer believe my lies
of staying here on my couch
and acting like a great big slouch

Alas, the day must start and I must too
for who else will teach in that zoo
I know that I must get up to shower
but every second it is growing harder
cause lying here shares so many joys
I can watch tv or play with toys
and though the clock continues to run
I can't get up, for I'm having so much fun

So now, I post and put the computer up
whine a lot, like a new born pup
get undressed, hey...now we're risque
jump in the shower, no more time to play
kiss the wife and head off to school
start the day, try not to be a fool
and dream of a time when I was acting like a slouch
enjoying my morning, lying on the couch

Villians

2010-10-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

I might come off as a little cruel, but I love fictional villians. If I were to play a part in a movie, I would want to be a bad guy. Favorite character in Star Wars has and always will be the stormtrooper. The book that I want to write is actually going to be entitled VILLIAN. When I sit down and watch an action movie, I secretly find myself rooting for the villian. Why do I have this obsession...I don't know! All I know is that I go a little soft for a man/woman who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty and take care of business.

However, not all villians are created the same. There are some who are weak characters...unable to pull of the big heist or crime because they break rules. Now I know what you might be thinking...villians don't have rules, right? Wrong! There are several rules that a villian can not break if they want to do well. As I have nothing to blog about today, I will be discussing one of my favorite villians, and the rules that he broke!

No villianous list is complete without the original Vader. Darth Vader is one of the most amazing villians in the world. His trick is easilly explained! He makes you root for him. As you go through the movie you begin to realize that there is something behind the mask. Something that makes you want him to succeed. When you find out he is Luke's daddy, you know what is was and then you hope, as Luke does, that he will turn away from the dark side. And, wouldn't you know it, he ends up turning away from the emperor and saving Luke. So, point goes to Vader!

Another reason Vader is awesome...he can use the force. It is your basic X-Man power, lift things with nothing but your mind, strangle subordinates, yadda yadda. His power seems to be unlimited, and when you throw in his lightsaber, you get an even stronger Sith.

Vader doesn't care about his subordinates. He doesn't rely on them to do his dirty work, making him a stronger villian. If they mess up, they die. He uses the previous losers for an example, striking the fear of God into the people working under him. Seriously! Would you mess up at your work if you knew your boss was going to choke the life out of you? Vader has no concern or fear for his subordinates, making him stronger. The Emperor failed in this category. He relied too much on Vader to do the work, leading to his downfall. Vader didn't have that problem, making him a better villian then the emperor.

So, where was Vaders mistake?

LOVE! Villians can not fall in love, be in love, or feel love for anyone. A true villian wouldn't care if his son were being electrecuted. In fact, he wouldn't have a son in the first place. Vader's mistake came because he had something to tie him to the world. Somebody connected him to the rest of humanity, and when you are a villian you can't afford that connection. If there were no Luke or Leiah, Vader would have continued on his path, eventually becoming the emperor himself, and possibly the best villain of all time. But his "Lovely" downfall takes him away from spot one.

So lets review. Vader was an amazing villian. He had power, he had the force, he could chop suey you with his light saber. His greatest success as a villian was his ability to make the audience root for him. His greatest flaw was having a connection to the world, that connection being love. He deffinately makes the top 5 for my list of villians, but he couldn't be in the number one spot because he breaks one of the rules.

Cards Vs. Saints

2010-10-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

So...the Saints are coming into town today and I'm going to the game with Bill. Should be awesome...except for the fact that I am wearing my Cardinals stuff and we are sitting on the Saints side. I'm not too worried about it though. I mean...the team name is the Saints. How bad could their fans be? With a few beers in them I'm sure they will mellow right up!

If the Cardinals had any chance of winning, I would probably be in a worse position. They will probably just end up feeling sorry for me.

GO BIG RED!

Time With Dad

2010-10-10T06:20:00.001-07:00

After a long hard day, that was kind of bad
I took some time to spend with dad
The tournament went sour and was kind of a "W"itch
so I headed on out to help him fill in a ditch
You see, he has an attitude that cheers you right up
He is fun to be around, like a newborn pup
He inspires you with his jokes and wit
and makes you feel like a number one hit
No matter how bad you mess up his stuff
or how many objects you accidently muff
He smiles and says, "Go play in the street"
Which if he were technologyical, I'm sure he would tweet
because thats the kind of guy he can be
knowing just what to say and do, cheering you and me
I love him to death, and with any luck
I'll get to go and and work with him, in mud and in muck

Thanks Dad!

Chess Tournament

2010-10-10T06:12:00.000-07:00

We had an individual in Holbrook this last weekend. Now anytime that I host a tournament, I try to put on a good show...but this one didn't work out as well. I was behind from the get go. I came home and had two things on my mind...get ready for the tournament and do some dishes. As soon as I pulled in I was Bogarted away on another errand from the neighbors...which I don't mind in the least. So, I told her five minutes, got all of my stuff together, and had her hold the soup on the way to drop of her uniform. Of course we hit every bumpy street in Holbrook and she ended up wearing the soup. "It looks like I threw up...Ewwww!" I believe that was the correct phraseology...hilarious.

So we ran the uniform down to the field, dropped neighbor back off, got the rest of the stuff, headed into Safeway and bought the last thing I needed...ice...and headed over to the tournament where the tables were in a different arrangement than I am used to. I started to set up and continued getting texts that kept dropping everyone from the tournament play...so I had to change all of my line-ups like three times.

So the tournament finally starts and we had 8 upsets in the first two rounds. That never happens. In fact, the number one player in the region lost 3 of 5 games. It was insane.

Then one of my players had a chance to take fourth, and ended up losing because he didn't remember to put his notation away in the last five minutes of the game. I was furious!

So...it was pretty bad...and I didn't even mention the fire alarms going off and going to each building to turn them off before the players arrived on Saturday morning, the football game going on at the same time and the fireworks blasting through the rounds on Friday night, or the fact that there are two kids who just don't know when to shut up...every single tournament.

What can you do?

Its Just a Piece of Cloth!

2010-10-07T07:14:00.000-07:00

Anytime parents are going to be coming to school, I try to wear a tie. It is professional and shows a little more respect for the parents...kind of like a, "I care enough about your child to put a piece of cloth around my neck."

Yesterday was day one of parent teacher conference, so I wore a tie. In the first 20 minutes, I was told that I looked good, great, handsome...multiple times. I looked at my clothes and realized that I had changed nothing from the normal days that I just work. I had on slacks...that I wear everyday. I had on a dress shirt...that I wear everyday. The only difference was that I had a tie on. A TIE! If I had known that I would have gotten more play wearing a tie, I would have worn one more when in High School.

So I guess Barney got it right. If you want to impress, you have to suit up! Today is TIEFEST 2, as we have one more parent teacher conference, and then we go back to "causual" (no tie) wear. We'll see how it goes.

PS I love irony and turn around! Good Luck Jr. Runners!

I Wonder

2010-10-06T05:52:00.000-07:00

So....I wonder if the school realizes that they are paying me to sit around and do nothing right now? Yesterday I got some parent/teacher stuff done in the morning, and then I went back to the classroom and....did something. I don't even remember what I did. I know that I spent part of the day folding wrappers for my starburst chain, and part of the day doing a logic problem...but that is about it. I wonder if they realize I am doing nothing.

On the other hand, everytime I leave my classroom I get more work! People see me in the hallway and have a computer question, or something else to that effect. I run errands, or substitute for people's classes while they are going or gone. It is kind of annoying, but better than sitting around my my tush.

Funny thing that happened...Mrs. Tomlin was teaching about the vikings, and how they came across the waters, pillaged, stole...all that fun stuff, you know. Well, she started talking about the theories of that time, with the edge of the world and sea monsters, and mentioned the Catholic Church persecuting Galileo. Then she asked a short review question, something like, "Who attacked the people in Vinland?" One of the kids responded, "The Catholic Vikings".

Guess I Better Blog

2010-10-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Aight, here is the deal and my official excuse. I haven't blogged because nobody is giving me rootbeer. As the title says, I will blog for rootbeer, and there has been a drought lately. However, in the past week I have been the recipient of two rootbeers. One from Lou during our Glee fest with Kim and Amy, and one from Andrea, my student teacher.

So lets talk about student teachers. They do everything for you...it is really awesome, but I have to say that I am a little bored. Not with Andrea's teaching, she is really, really good. I am bored because for a while she wouldn't let me do anything. I just sat around. Not only that, but now they are telling me that I have to leave my classroom. As laid back as I can be, I am not that person in the school. I am the master of my class, and they are getting rid of the master. It is sad.

But to end that conversation on a bright note, I am happy with Andrea. She does a great job and my year is going by really well.

Today Amy, Kim, and I are going to Flagstaff to eat sushi and do a movie. It is good to have friends who will eat sushi with you. There just aren't a lot of people who like the rolls. I am really excited about going up. It has been a while since Amy and I have had time to get out and do stuff, although we did make it down to the valley last week, and that was awesome.

Amy, Kim, and Alonna are also doing a pie blog...it should be posted. I love it. I get to taste a different pie each week. Score! This is almost as good as marrying a Canadian and getting two thanksgivings.

So, There is my life in a nutshell. My job is going well, my social life is rare, but fun when I have one, and I get excited about food. I will try to blog more as things happen.

Oh, and by the way, I went back and watched Buffy episodes. "I mock you with my monkey pants" is still one of the best lines this century!

ARGGGGGGGGH!

2010-07-08T07:38:00.001-07:00

So much to blog about, but I have to keep my mouth shut. I actually started writing in my journal again so that I could at least get it out. It works out pretty well, as I only have one page filled out...from 3 years ago. I am a journal slacker. I really want to fill it out, but I only write at nights and A can tell you that after 8:00 I am useless.

Anywho....I'm a little ticked off right now, not as much as last night, but still a little.

Big Trouble, Little Town

2010-07-07T22:36:00.000-07:00

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH! The messenger is always the one who gets shot...what the heck! In my mind, it should be the person who is playing in the fire who should get burned, not the one who warns others that the house of cards may be catching flame. Ah well....what can you do?

School Widower No More

2010-07-06T07:22:00.000-07:00

I just had to say how much I appreciate the work and dedication that my wife has, not only for herself but for us. Amy has gone back to school for about two years now, while she continues to work. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and keeps up with her work making herself more and more needed for the people out at the Attourneys Office. She continues to work out on the treadmill, doing situps, and pretty much rocking with her new diet...something that I've never been able to keep up with. And she treats me like a prince, even though I don't give her a lot of reasons to.

Last night at Eclipse, she left the movie for a little bit and came back with the candied almonds that I love so much. I was pleasently suprised. She thinks of little things that will make me happy, and does them without hesitation.

So, wife of mine, I love you! You are perfectly awesome, rocking out everything you do. I am deffinately the reacher!!!

So, Amy has been working on her research paper for the past three days....straight. I've felt a little bit like a widower, as she has usually disappeared into the office during this time. It is lonely, but worth it as she can now relax up until the next semester, and with perfect timing. We have the sisters coming down, somewhere in the Dakotas right now, and we are going to meet them later this week. It should be fun as Amy is really close to her sisters and always has a great time, althought I don't think I'll get a word in the conversations for the next week or so.
Sometimes, when you are surrounded by 5 women, you just have to keep your mouth shut....and listen for plots to destroy your control! ;)

DC Finale

2010-07-04T07:45:00.001-07:00

Ahhh the whitehouse, a building with history
Like the time the Canadians burnt it to the ground
So whitehouse number three is what we built here
where bearded tourists can be found

And here we see the bearded man
crossing another spot in history
The Potomac river has been crossed by men I respect
Such as George Washington and Robert E. Lee

Next comes the Vietnam War Memorial
It entombs the names of many brave men
The sacrafice the gave was great
Something that should be respected, both now and then

And last of all, to end the record of our trip
Came the Arlington Cemetary, with graves of white
If you have a chance, visit the tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Take a deep breath, treasure, and remember this site

DC Day 3/4

2010-07-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

This was one of my favorite days in D.C. We took a bus tour that went to all of the major monuments, and had a blast. Included are my two favorite monuments/museums. Abraham Lincoln is iconic! One of the grandest things I have seen in my life as his monument is one of the most well known and loved. The Holocaust Museum literally shook me to the core. The things that you see inside would bring any one to tears. It was amazing!

Other than that, you have the Jefferson Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, and the Killer Bunnies taking on the Senate.

D.C. Day 2

2010-06-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

After a long day of museum watching, Legal SeaFood was a great place to stop. I think it was the best food that we ate while in D.C. Everything was spot on and delicious....Amy and Kim tried the raw oysters.... :P

One of my favorite views was from getting off of the subway at the museum stop. As soon as you walk off of the escalator you can see everything. The museums, Washington Monument, Senate.....it is beautiful!

We did a lot on this day and took a lot of pictures. I'm not going to blog all of them, but I am putting them in a facebook folder for those of you who would like to see them.

Washington D.C. (DAY 1)

2010-06-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

To begin our trip, we went down to a market with open air
the ladies shopped at all sorts of stops, spending money like they didn't care
and along I wandered, with my stomach grumbling, wanting to get off my feet
So we killed the two birds and sat down for a quick bite to eat......

The place was called seventh, and our taste buds they new how to rock
If they were in the market, my life savings I'd put in their stock
Their pizza was tasty, their sandwiches great, we ate until we were stuffed
and went back to the market, with happy full bellies, taking pictures as away we huffed........

After the market, we went to the subway, looking for a ride to the zoo
The station was pretty, and looked scientific, like something from Doctor Who
We boarded our train and went on our way, for animals we wanted to see
but when we arrived, the animals were gone, as if someone had set them free......

So with our feet bleeding, from all of the walking, we made our way back to the train
And though we tried, with all of our might, from cursing the zoo we couldn't refrain
Our spirits were down, our smiles were frowns, so we went to feed our face
Tony Chengs was the name, and food were the game, I must admit I'd recommend this place

We left the restaraunt, and headed on back, to the place where we laid our heads
After a full day of walking, and great picture taking, all I could think about were my hotel's beds
We watched some tv, and closed our eyes, knowing tomorrow would be the same
A full day of fun, photography and sun, we had to sleep before restarting the game....
(T0 BE CONTINUED)

Not My Job

2010-05-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

Wiping away the snot from your child's nose, is not my job, but I do it anyway. Giving your child counselling advice on how to deal with life, is not my job, but I do it anyway. Cleaning up skinned knees and stray tears, is not my job, but I do it anyway. Coming to your child's baseball game, is not my job, but I do it anyway. Making sure that your child is responsible, is not my job, but I do it anyway. Comforting your child when their dad or mom go to prison, is not my job, but I do it anyway. Walking your child home because no one picked them up, is not my job, but I do it anyway. Staying after school to give your child a safe place to be, is not my job, but I do it anyway. Comforting a child who doesn't know where they are sleeping tonight, is not my job, but I do it anyway.

Caring about your child....that is my job, and I do it all day, everyday. Doing everything that I can to help your child succeed....that is my job, and I do it all day, everyday. Providing chances to be responsible and grow, that is my job, and I do it all day, everyday. You see, teachers aren't just teachers. We are mothers, fathers, friends, psychiatrists, doctors, philosophers, advisors, and many other things to many different people. We work for you, for your child, and for the community, and while we do many things, outside of our job description, for one reason. We really do care about your children.

For all those teachers who have or are about to finish the school year. Congrats! For all those parents who provide the support to the schools and their children. Thank you!!! For all those administrators who support us in our endeavors. You are Rock Stars! For all those kids who work their tails off...keep on truckin'! We love you and will keep loving you til the day we die.

Finish strong!!!

The Fergusons Turn Tourist

2010-05-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

So, after a long hiatus of no blogging, I have decided to whet your appetites with what is to come. Over spring break, we went to Washington DC. Amy has always wanted to go back, she went with her family when she was younger, and I have never been. At first, as usual, my mind said, "NO! DC Sniper, axe to the head, crazy people," but the winning argument was, "Don't want to sleep on the couch, see famous stuff, food!" So, off we went with dreams of lots of good food and seeing great sites.

The following are pictures I took, of myself, with some of the more recognizable sites. I'll continue blogging the rest as I sit down at the computer with time on my hands.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Awesome Parts: Armed Guards with BFGs, Self-Tour, Beautiful Views
Drags: Tour got cancelled because we went on the day the health bill was signed

ARLINGTON
Awesome Parts: Purely Majestic, Awe-inspiring
Drags: Stupid, disprespectful kids

THE NATIONAL MONUMENT
Awesome Parts: Great View at Top
Drags: Can't take pictures at the top, Didn't take the stairs

THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL
Awesome Parts: THAT's FREAKIN ABE LINCOLN
Drags: Didn't come to life as Pinky and the Brain suggested
(Yes, that is Kim photo bombing my pic!) :)

JEFFERSON MEMORIAL
Awesome Parts: Cool Arcitecture, Not very crowded
Drags: Not the Lincoln Memorial

Snowman Stalkers

2010-02-15T02:39:00.000-08:00

So, I had this idea one morning after it snowed to make a snowman and put it by Amy's car. That way, when she turned the corner she would see it and remember how much she loves me....didn't quite work out that way.

Now granted, the snowman did have really buggy eyes, and it was just at the height of a feral animal. In fact, truth be told, when I was setting it by the tire I realized that it would probably scare her...but if you know me you know why this didn't stop me.

It worked....she shrieked, or so I was told.

So, to make it up to her, I decided I would give her plenty of advanced warning if I did it again. Behold, the Snowman Stalkers!!!

So...its 4 in the morning, and I'm going to try to salvage what is left of my sleep. Beware of the Snowmen! (Sorry, snow people. I forgot to be politically correct)

Show Low Lake clean-up

2010-01-20T06:06:00.001-08:00

Over the long weekend, Amy and I where able to take part in a service project, cleaning up the Show Low Lake area. We had a lot of fun, and the free DisneyLand ticket wasn't bad either!

Of course, the best part of the day was spending time with my lovely wife. We did two hours of clean-up, lunch, two movies, and had a great time. It was a nice, relaxing day that was spent with my best friend. What could have been better!

(I'll upload pictures later)

(P.S. School is on an hour delay...Yeah!!!)

A Title Too Scary to Post!

2009-12-27T06:55:00.000-08:00

Amy and I went to the nutcracker last night, and it was really cool. I know as a guy that I'm not supposed to say things like that, but a good ballet isn't as bad as our gender makes it sound. Yes, it is a lot of dancing, and there is no talking what-so-ever, but the majesty of the movements is quite captivating. Of course, I also got to sit by the most beautiful woman ever, so that always helps!

The play was held in the Phoenix Symphony Hall. It is a beautiful building in downtown Phoenix and the inside is awesome. I loved the balconies that overlook the waiting area. The wood paneling lightens everything up, without being too bright, and the seating is really nice. Amy was able to score seats on the bottom tier of the bottom section. They were off to the side and provided a great view of the play.

I thought the climax of the play would be the battle between the nutcracker soldiers, great name isn't it, and the rat king, but that was the end of scene 1. The climax was traveling off to see a wholebunch of dances from around the world, and it was really neat. I liked it a lot better than the first act. One of my favorite dances was the one pictured above, in which a whole bunch of ballerinas danced around as snow fell. It was visually stunning!

Mr. Ed is Dead!!!

2009-12-23T06:11:00.000-08:00

Mr. Ed
why are you dead
just one more more holiday death

you made us wiggle
with laughs and giggles
but now you have no breath

Our hearts were a flutter
when with peanut butter
the producers helped you talk

So for hours on hours
we put off our showers
Away from you we couldn't walk

It was not our desire
that you should expire
But that is life, and we will cope

So for you one last wish
oats and carrots they'll dish
in animal heaven, that is what we'll hope

Goodbye Mr. Ed!

I Got the Message!!!

2009-12-15T15:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Monday, I took the day off. It is the first "peronsal" day I have ever taken. I mean, I have gone on vacation once, maybe twice, but this is the first time that I took a day just for myself for the 5 years that I have been teaching. I think God is punishing me for it!

I went back to school today energized and ready to go...until I walked in. My substitute did a horrendous job. For the first 90 minutes of class, I tried to get things back in order, fixing the mistakes she made. It was horrible.

I spend 3 1/2 hours on lesson plans for the substitute. I printed everything out, made detailed instructions, and set everything up in an organized manner. She didn't follow a darn thing! She went off on her own, did things here way, and completely forgot to give the students 2 assignments. 2!!! That is most of the morning!

In the afternoon, she lost the lesson plans and made everything up. The assignments were sitting ON THE DESK, and she didn't bother giving them out.

So, that happens and I'm starting off the day horribly, when boy #1 decides to begin his constant blabbing, talking back, and disruption. He begins by telling me that he doesn't care about any consequences from the day before. Then he says he didn't start working on something they did for 20 minutes. After sitting down, and talking the entire time, he says he couldn't remember what they did yesterday, so I take him in the hall and he says they didn't read anything. I ask the class, and they said that they had, so I asked the kid and he said he doesn't remember. Well, I send him to the office to do his stuff, and he gets angry. Turns out that he had participated and done what he was supposed to do after all, so I bring him back in and apologize.

He continues the day not listening to instructions, turning in unfinished work, mouthing off, and disrupting class. I talk to him, I plead with him, I even left the room for a little bit to calm down. Upon returning, he continues the same stuff after consistent warnings, and then gets mad when I "yell" at him and send him to the office. When I show up later he looks at me, turns around, and says, "Don't even talk to me!"

So, he sits there, I finally get him to talk after math class, and he does just fine, like flipping a switch.

So...a day from hell after taking a day off. I got the message...no more days off!

(The rest of the class still hadn't turned in assignments that they have had a week to do. Everyone was missing at least one assignment, and then the wouldn't be quiet when working. The kept talking, and moving, and talking. Then one of them had the nerve to talk back when I told him to sit down. ARGH!)

Guess I must learn patience....lots and lots of patience!

Frustration Reigns Supreme

2009-12-14T18:47:00.001-08:00

As you may know, I am a die hard Arizona Cardinals fan. I have watched the Cardinals since finding out Arizona had a time when I was 11 or 12 years old. I have watched the Cardinals now for 18 years, and it has been a roller coaster of a ride. Last year, they made it to the Super Bowl. I felt like after years of frustration, I was finally able to boast about my team. It was a high point in my sports watching career.

Now, the roller coaster is on its way back down and I feel like throwing a cat through the television. Tim Hightower, a running back, fumbled for the fifth time this year in the first half of the football game. You are a running back. People are going to be pulling and smacking, and hitting the ball out of your hands. It is your job to hold onto it...so do it!

They took Hightower out and put in Stephens-Howling. He fumbled on his first touch of the football. Once again, you are a freakin' running back. It is your job to hold onto the ball. Were you expecting to be playing against fifth graders? No, hold onto the stupid ball.

So Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinal receiver demi-god, goes up into the air and pulls down a tremendous catch. The first good thing that happens in the game, and the refs call it off. I'm sorry, there were three guys around him and he held onto the dang thing. He jumped and fell to the ground, holding onto it all the way down and as he slid on the ground. He was then stripped, but his knee, butt, back, and elbows were already down. How can you call off the catch?

No, our quarterback threw an interception, his first in five games, and we are down 10 to nothing.

We are only in the second quarter and we have most of that to play. We are playing the hapless 49ers, a team that I respect from my childhood of watching Steve Young and Jerry Rice, but I really want to win.

So...my frustration is gone, I am going to eat the pancakes my wonderful wife made me and try not to throw Abby or Ariel at the television. Wish me luck!

Darn the Wind

2009-12-08T05:48:00.001-08:00

You know what the title should say...I just don't know how many of my kids read my blog...probably none of them!

I hate the wind. It blows all night, its blowing now, it is too strong to let the kids go to recess, and it will blow all day. I woke up at 3:00 this morning and had to take advil for a wind head ache, and it looks like I'll be dealing with the wind all day. So, in the truest sense of the title, Darn the wind!

Pumpkin Madness

2009-11-05T05:38:00.001-08:00

For Halloween we did our traditional party with Kim. This year we decided to have a pumpkin carving bananza and the seeds were flying. We had werewolves, Jack Skelington, spiders, dragons, Elfaba....all manners of creatures and characters. I think we'll continue to do it, just because it is so much fun to bring a character to life.

Where is Tim???

2009-09-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

Alright, I take back everything I have ever said about a principal's weak decisions with detentions.

Tim, our principal, went out with surgery about a week ago. I've been taking over the discipline, and I have to say, it is horrible! On day one, I had a kid written up for problems with a sub and 6 other kids for throwing rocks at each other. Total detention time, 23 days. The next day I had to talk to two of the rock throwers about their attitude in class. I told them I didn't want to see their face in my room again...didn't work. The next day, one of these boys was once again in my room....Oh yeah, and then there was the boy who bonked a girl on the head and got 5 days and 1/2 day ISS. The boy who was cussing on the bus...two days....the girl who slapped a boy across the face.....four days...and the tetherball incident that resulted in three more detentions. Thus far, I've given out all these detentions and I have been "principal" for five days.

So....this has taken up all of my time, preps, and energy. I can't wait for Tim to get back.

May your week be less busy!

(PS...We took 2nd again in our tournament, which makes it two in a row. The greatest part was that we only lost to Blue Ridge by one game, a great accomplishment!)

Yahoo....I Love Chess!

2009-09-05T06:17:00.000-07:00

The Holbrook Chess Team took 2nd place in Tuba City last weekend. We took home a large trophy, which is always fun as it shows the school that we are a valuable part of their community. A lot of times, we feel like the red-headed step child...left out and unimportant, so any time we can do something well, we celebrate it.

My second board did a great job on our varsity team. He took fourth place in the region, winning 4 out of 5 games. On JV we took 1st and 3rd place, showing that we have some great talent coming up the ranks. I look forward to our next tournament in two weeks. It will be a team tournament, where we will be playing shorter games and every team. I'm going to put my second board up on first board, allowing him the chance to really gain that experience. This will also help as my first board will have a better shot down on second board...confused yet?

To summarize, we took 2nd! Yeah Chess!!!

Scare the Boy!

2009-09-05T06:09:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the pleasure of getting rid of one of my student's hiccups. This is a student who continuously interrupts class, so when he repeatedly shouted out that he had the hiccups, I told him to hold his breath, and if that didn't work we would try something else. So, I kept class going, and waited for the perfect opportunity. I set the entire class to doing a problem and as soon as this boy had turned and put his head down to work, I attacked!

Getting close to someone in a quiet environment and screaming a bloodcurling yelp is quite effective in getting rid of someone's hiccups. This boy, and most of the class, jumped...but not just a startled jump. This boy began his own terrified scream as he began running away, backwards, in his chair. It was hilarious!

So...thoughful, unselfish, caring I was able to help a young man get rid of his hiccups. I love my job!

The Problem with Blogging

2009-09-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

I think I figured it out. The problem with blogging is that I feel like I need a picture with everything I blog. Of course, there is also the fact that I just don't feel very interesting sometimes, but hey...maybe I'm underestimating myself. Anywho...Thank you for coming and reading the blog. I hope that I can post a little bit more for you to enjoy.

Lemon Berry Trifle

2009-08-08T06:32:00.000-07:00

So, I tried a couple different things last week. On Sunday, we were supposed to bring dessert to family dinner. Rather than have Amy whip up something awesome, as she always does, I decided to give a new recipe a try. Lemon Berry Trifle turned out really well. It was light and delicious. Better yet, you can add whatever fruit you want. We had strawberries, peaches, and blueberries on ours. (Recipe on the internet)

Amy went down to Phoenix on a training and I stayed in the classroom for a long while. There wasn't a lot of food in the fridge...at least not a lot of Eldon food in the fridge, so I had to do something I normally wouldn't. Grandpa Turley is an awesome gardener, and he gave us some zucchini and peppers. I decided to make pepper infused, fried zucchini.

I went ot the cupboard, and couldn't find my Italian bread crumbs. So, I grabbed some crutons and crushed those up in a bowl. I added diced green chili to the crutons and beat eggs into another bowl.

I thought it would work! I dipped the slices of zucchini into the egg mixture, and then into the crutons....nothing stuck. I was so dissapointed. Usually breaded stuff, like my parmesian chicken, take milk, but I thought it wouldn't matter. Even now I don't know if it would have stuck if it had milk....but, I had all the material and didn't want to throw it all away.

So, I improvised. My pan was heating up with just a little bit of oil, enough to fry zucchini slices, but not cover them. I battered all of my zucchini, and then dropped some of the cruton/pepper mix on top. My idea was that the egg would fry, and the otherstuff would stick to that...rather than the zucchini. It worked. I had a nice, golden crust on one side of the zucchini that was really flavorful. The chili added a great heat and taste that I haven't had with zucchini before, and I loved it. (salt and pepper to taste)

Of course, the best thing I ate this week came from the master chef! Amy made some kickin' raisin butter tarts, the best I have ever had. She outdoes herself every time she walks in the kitchen!

Awesome School Idea

2009-08-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I was in the middle of class, talking to the students, when an epiphane struck. Every year we start out writing by building better sentences. It basically just means that instead of, "The man went to the store", we say, "The ugly, bearded man slowly sauntered into the dark, dismal store." Well, I was talking and immediately stopped class. My kids looked on in wonder, they don't know me very well yet, as I exclaimed, "Ooooooh! That is awesome!" I went to the board, wrote down Act out BS, turned around, and began class again. The students looked confused, but it won't be the last time! :)

So, my chess kids came in after school, looked at the board, and said, "How do you act out BS?" I didn't even think about the initials I wrote out.

Anyway...the idea is to act out the sentences, rather than just write them out. It should allow for the kinestetic and artistic intelligences to become involved in the activity. Hopefully it works out well.

Two days down...a bunch more to go!

A Treat From My Past...

2009-07-28T21:06:00.001-07:00

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chocolate-Trifle/Detail.aspx

So, this isn't a current recipe, but it was really, really good. I do not recommend it to anyone who cannot handle something sweet. This is raise the blood sugar of twenty elephants, but still very, very good!

Experiment Failed?

2009-07-25T12:36:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I tried to make Carne Asada. I found a recipe on the internet that promised an authentic marinade, and thought, "Wow! Lime, Lemon, and Orange Juices...this has to be good."I marinaded the skirt steak, grilled it up, and we put it into a cheese quesadilla. So, the idea was to have Carne Asada Quesadilla...Well, the juice was overwhelming. It tasted like somebody had found a way to breed, butcher, and sell Lime Cows...

Today, I am attempting to rectify the mistake. I just got done making steak and eggs with chili peppers diced and scrambled all together. When the meat is with other food, it doesn't taste so limey...but I tell you, it was a citrus explosion earlier.

I'll post a picture of the steak/eggs/chili later on!

(When using citrus in a marinade...add something to sweeten the flavor...we thought pineapple or apple juice might have helped...maybe some sugar.)

2nd Thought: The steak and eggs was really good. The chilis were grown from grandpa's garden and had a great flavor and heat. The best part, however, was the addition of garlic powder. It added an extra layer of flavor that I think should have been connected to the steak in the first place.

My second thought came to me as I was sitting watching television. Rather than sugar, I think adding honey to the marinade would really tie things in well. I'll have to try that on my next attempt.

BLT Without the "T"

2009-07-23T05:00:00.001-07:00

As Joe would say, tomatos are red cubes of death. Amy doesn't care for them either, so for lunch yesterday I decided to put together a Bacon, Lettuce....something... on either an English muffin or bagel. As the idea progressed, I added a little flair for myself, as Amy went out to eat with a friend from work. She did get some of the left over bacon, which made her happy...and in turn myself happy. So, without further ado, my idea for "BLT Without the 'T'".

Tip Before You Start!!! Bacon: Everybody has a different way of doing this. Some like it crispy, some like it flexible. Amy likes hers crispy and I like mine flexible, so I try to get it in between. My trick is to cook it on one side, until it begins turning translucent...spelling? I then flip each slice over until bubbles begin frying on the side that I can see. I flip it over once more, and do the same, careful not to let it burn, because at this point it can go that way pretty easily. I find the bubble test to be easy to pull off, and it usually gives me my bacon just the way we like it.

1. So, fry X amount of bacon. After bacon is fried, place on a paper towel (placed over a plate). This allows the grease to be soaked up.

2. Dump in ringlets/half ringlets of onions. Do not drain the grease, as it will help the onions take on flavor and cook. Fry until onions are translucent and begin to go limp. For those of you who like stiffer onions, fry until you like them. Drain in the same way you did with the bacon...heck, use the same paper towel.

Now, I tasted my onions and decided that they were a little bland. Good, but bland. I sprinkled some salt over them, and I believe that it kicked up the taste by quite a bit. The onions were excellent! The best thing is that my choice of salt can be changed. At this point you can sprinkle any spice over the onions, and get a variety of tremendous flavors.

3. Cut lettuce, toast bagel/muffin/bread, apply chosen condiments to bread. (I used mustard and a slice of cheese)

4. Build sandwich and enjoy!

Pros to Dish---- The toppings were stupendous. I love what I did with the onions, and bacon is always good. Together they sang symphonies!

The Romaine Lettuce was a good choice as well, not as watery as iceberg.

Cook time, for my first time making it, was less than 20 minutes!!!

One bagel makes two sandwiches, folded in half.

Cons to Dish----The cheese over powered everything! I think I would do without next time.

The bagel was really thick and I don't think there was a good bread to toppings proportion.

If it sounds good, Enjoy!

Revelations at 4:40 in the Morning

2009-07-23T04:43:00.001-07:00

My sister, April, said that this early in the morning wasn't morning, but night. Therefore, last night I had a weird dream. I dreamt that they moved me from my fifth grade teaching position to a high school class. The high school students were obnoxious and reminded me of the kids on that Antonio Banderas dance move. The ones who just needed to be reached by something outside of the normal realms of education. Apparently, they thought that me teaching cooking would be a good idea.

So, where better to do this than a room covered in straw and candles. I had to put out a couple of student started fires at the beginning...."Freudian for smashing dreams maybe?" But then my next hour began and three middle aged women came in with recipes something they had made the night before. Homework maybe? We tasted each one of them, the worst being split pea soup that had turned into paste, and I woke up before talking about it all.

I couldn't get back to sleep! Too many ideas for the classroom and this blog are floating around my head. Believe me, I want to turn off my mind, but for some reason it is running too fast, so I thought I would get on and share what I "learned" from the dreams.

School wise, I think I'm going to form a book club with my students. We'll all read the same book, as homework, and the next day we can come back and as questions about the book. I don't want to overload them, so the assignment would only be a couple pages at a time, maybe a chapter if I can find the right book. We might make it a classroom assignment so that they can have help as well...who knows.

When presenting a "dish" of information or a project, other students are going to have two choices on how to respond. They can provide two compliments and a suggestion, or ask a question about how or why something was done a certain way. With both of these the goal is to help students increase the "Miles on Their Tongue", a phrase started around my school last year.

Finally, and most importantly, I don't think people are actually going to do, read, or listen to anything that is not important or that doesn't have vital information in it. I don't like pea soup, so the lady who brought pea soup didn't have my attention.

Therefore, I think I am going to change the idea of this blog. No body is going to care about my day to day life, and lets face it, why should they. I live in Sleepy Holbrook, I'm a school teacher off for the summer, and I don't blog enough as is. So, if I'm honest with myself, I'm just putting down things that I think are interesting, and I believe that nobody else does. (It's 4:54 in the morning, please don't take offense to any of this). So, I think I'm going to do a couple of different things. Inspired by "The Julie/Julia Project" coming to theatres, I'm going to start blogging about the recipes I try at home. Amy is going back to school, so I should have plenty of practice. Also, I'm going to try a book study, starting with the Harry Potter books.....maybe. After all, I was the one who supported Snape even after he killed Dumbledore.

My goal is to provide something that you would like to read, not something that you can get through a phone call. With any luck, I will have a blog that you will want to visit.

So, at 4:57 in the morning, and barely lucid, I will leave it at that. I'm going to post later about something I made for lunch, picture to be included.

Sorry for any offense given! It is way too early to be honest with myself...own worst critic and all!!!

Fourth of July Fun!!!

2009-07-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

Just some pictures for your enjoyment!

Are We Done Yet?

2009-07-20T09:49:00.000-07:00

Alright...the remodeling is almost done. Everything is back in, we have a new toilet, sink, bathtub, fixings....etc. All we need to do is touch up on the paint after sanding off the rough spots and, with any luck, the only thing I'll be doing in the restroom is something I won't be talking with you about. The following are the pictures that I promised!

We started by taking the tub out, rebuilding the wall, and redoing the water pipes. Then we put up the cement board, got all the old laminate up off of the floor, and began tiling the walls. After the wall tile went up, we tiled the floor and painted. The end result is, in our opinion, beautiful!!!

What Stinks???

2009-06-29T09:05:00.001-07:00

So Amy and I put up a compost heap. I was worried about it because of the stink, but amazingly it doesn't smell. We dump all of our non meat food stuff, through the sliding roof I built, and walla! No food trash.

We are also recycling which cuts down on our trash. Usually I fill the dumpster with trash bags. Recycling has cut our trash in half. Just another wonderful change my wife has made and I love.

Walnut Canyon

2009-06-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

After summer school, we took a field trip to Walnut Canyon. I made two trips around the Island route, as one of the parents didn't want to take her group. Little Riley Moody came with me both times, and was tuckered out around lunch time.

Coolest Thing: The view and chance to see more of Arizona.

Weirdest Thing: Besides the kids....getting hit in the head by a twig that flew through the window on the bus ride home.

Saddest Thing: Forgetting my sunblock and hat!

Renovate Slave, Renovate!!!

2009-06-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

Amy and I are renovating the restroom! I'll post pictures as they come.

The before picture. It is a small bathroom, so there isn't a lot of room to shoot. Notice the green wall color. We put that there and are changing it to blue. Everything is going to be gutted!!!

The walls with one coat of paint up. The cabinet above the toilet and sink are gone, dismantled by moi! The white lightens everything up and suddenly our bathroom looks bigger!

No more time for me to do this!

The Addiction of FarmTown

2009-06-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

I told Amy, "I don't want to play"
but she made me an account anyway
now I sit at the computer and harvest crops
deciding where to put animals, and other such props
trying to take breaks to clean the house and eat
but tearing away becomes quite the feat
as the time goes on, there is more to plant
decisions to be made and leave I just can't
so my farm prospers and slowly it grows
if I pay close attention, I can buy more hoes
of course I'm talking about the garden tool
if you thought the other you are playing the fool
so get your mind out of the gutter, and boogie on down
to share my addiction in Farm Town

Look at that Glass

2009-06-08T13:06:00.000-07:00

Amy and I took a small vacation to the valley a couple weekends ago. One of the coolest things we were able to do was attend the glass exhibit at the botanical gardens. I was a little skeptical at first, after all an exhibit is an exhibit and glass is glass, but I ended up having a blast. Not only was I able to spend time with my beautiful wife, but we were surrounded by amazing work on every side, both natural and manmade.

The glass seemed to blend into its surrounding. They were placed in the desert landscape, in water, surrounded by trees, and surrounded by cacti.

Some of my favorite sculptures were the blues. I loved the way that they contrasted against the greens and browns of the desert. They sun seemed to bounce off of the blues with extra vibrancy (spelling?).

Of course, the natural surroundings were just as amazing as the glass. One of the first pictures I took was of a dragonfly that caught my eye. It was huge! The ground squirrel things, lizards, plants, and California King Snakes made sure that anyone watching knew that God was the first sculptor.

And then there were the bizarre. The scuptures that didn't quite fit in, but were fun none-the-less. I enjoyed them for their chaotic nature, but if you know me you know I like things that are linear.

With any luck, all of these pictures will load. I apologize if I crashed your computer, but there were just too many beautiful things to choose from. Thanks, as always, for being one of my readers.

Becker Time!!!

2009-06-07T09:44:00.001-07:00

Much better than Hammer Time, it is Becker time. Amy and I were able to spend some time with Dan, Kath, and Lil yesterday. It was a blast. We talked for a couple hours, always good to know that distance doesn't kill a friendship. Lil, Dan, and I went to the park while the ladies went out to forage for some food. We had fun in the park, catching up with Dan and trying to keep caught up to Lil. She was everywhere!

So the ladies came back with some awesome Thai food...something to put on our list of great restaraunts. We ate, laughed, talked, watched some SNL, and then took off. I really appreciated the time and hope to do it again soon.

Oh goodness! Abby just breathed on me...I know I didn't feed her skunk. Have to go find the carcass. :)

Pause my playlist before playing!

2009-06-05T14:23:00.001-07:00

More Cowbell

2009-06-05T13:40:00.001-07:00

Recently we were able to get together and play some Rock Band with Kim and Alonna. It was a lot of fun!

Kim rocked the drums. She slammed out most of the songs, taking a break every once in a while to play the guitar. I'm actually surprised her foot didn't fall off. The pedal can be a menace after you play a couple songs. She is vacationing in England...getting ready for Rock Band : The Beatles!

Alonna was a lot of fun. She switched off on the mike and guitar, and really belted out some great lyrics. Her laughter is infectious. In fact, Amy and I get to spend some time with her tonight while Kim is gone to England. It should be fun!

Amy is tremendously cute! She rocks the guitar, the drums, and sings beautifully. She really gets into the guitar, having played before we got married. It is a lot of fun to see her dancing and grooving to the music. Very cute!

My favorite song is "Don't Fear the Reaper" by the Blue Oyster Cult. Now, I know they didn't play it originally, but I love the song. Maybe the only one I can carry a tune for. The belly is a tribute to the SNL skit with Will Farrell. It is by far one of my favorite skits ever...sorry I had to put my belly on for all to see. :)

Letting the Curls have their way with me!

2009-05-19T06:40:00.001-07:00

I know, I know...bad pun, but who doesn't wan to let the curls have their with with him. As many of my friends know, I have a curly headed mop. Most of the time, I get it cut when the time comes. It is just one huge mess, but my barber was out of town, and the end of the year is coming, so I said what the heck, and let it grow. Amy thinks it is highly amusing and made me stand still for a picture. Then I got the idea for the blog title, and had to share.

I think curly hair is just one of those things in life. A blessing and a curse. It seems that people with straight hair want curly hair, and people with curly hair want straight hair. I am really happy with my hair. Mostly, because I am going bald, and my hair can curl whichever way I want it to. I don't have to do a comb over, I just have to run my fingers through and I have instant camoflauge. Hopefully it stays that way, but we will all see how it goes as the years progress.

Love the hair your in!

Spiders

2009-05-03T10:57:00.001-07:00

I feel blessed to live in a place where the spiders only grow to about 2 inches. It makes it much easier to squish them with a two-by-four.

Good Friday

2009-04-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

I suppose this is my last hurrah at a break for the school year. Good Friday is usually the last holiday we have before the year ends...and the kids get crazy. So, might as well take my chance to blog before stuff gets crazier.

For the first time, I bought a crossword...I don't know why. Sometimes I do these crazy things, like try to get better at things, and then I realize it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Now, granted, I might get better at some jeopardy clues, but those are usually only 5 out of every 1000 questions asked. Nonetheless, I have about 100 crosswords that I feel like I have to get done now, so that has been my task as Amy and I watch television.

Amy has to work today, which is really sad! I love those times when we both have the day off and can do whatever. She really is my everything...I don't know what I would do without her. This week, I have been spending our savings trying to get my truck fixed. I also had AIMS testing, which means that I needed to take the car away from her. She was a great sport about it. Found rides with other people and was patient as the truck thing took longer than we expected. Granted, she did gripe a little bit when I didn't fill the car up, but who wouldn't! She is an amazing wife, friend, and human...not many people who fit into all three of those categories.

Another one of those people...minus the wife (I'm not that kind of Mormon) is Kim. I just found out that she would be moving to the fourth grade next year, and then to the fifth grade. When I first started, she was teaching just down the hall and I can't wait to get her back up to the fifth grade. She is tremendous, I got a lot of really good ideas from her. More than that though, she can be trusted. I can say whatever I want around her and know that it is taken with a grain of salt. We have plans to hang out when Amy is doing her Canadian Girls Twilight thing this Saturday.

My kids are doing great. One of them is still trying to see out of his nose by pushing it against various parts of his face. This is the same one who was trying to start fires with his mind last week. Yeah Creativity!!!

For my Easter Picture...Had to go with Monty Python!

I think that is about it for right now. I have a lot to do today...play video games, eat lunch with Amy, play video games...just kidding honey! :)

Talk at ya'll later!

Wind, Fences, and Anger

2009-04-04T06:24:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that it takes a lot for me to reach a breaking point...unless of course I'm in school. I'm just not one of those people who gets irritated easily, or at least I don't enjoy showing how irritated I am with things. So when I go on this little rant, those who know me can assume that I have been through a huge pile of "STUFF" to arrive where I am.

What kind of company doesn't insure a fence against wind. Seriously! How is it that a fence business can advertise their product, but not back it up. Examples!

"X Cola is the best drink in the world, if you want to throw up!"
"X Credit; now with new low rates of 49.00%APR!"
"X Inn; The Bedbugs WILL bite"
"X Allergic Meds; now curing exotic animal allergins...good luck with household pets."
"X Fencing; Our fences blow as hard as the wind!"

I am sick and tired of coming home and watching my fence get torn apart by the wind. Now granted, we have had some pretty bad wind in the past couple weeks...but for the fence to be blown apart is ridiculous. I had a gate bend off of the hinges, a post snap in two, and three sections of panels lying on the ground. So, as a houseowner, I decide to go out and put them back up. I spent almost 8 hours putting that fence back up. I spaced out the panels so that the wind would blow through, instead of a direct hit on the fencing. I buried the fence up to the bottom brace holder with about a foot of dirt...all the way around. And so what happens...I come home and I have panels flying across the yard, posts falling down, and a cry of frustration building inside.

So...what do you do? As long as the wind doesn't blow, the fence will stay up, but that is like asking a dog not to sniff it's own butt. (Sorry for the visual). I'm tired of complaining, so I'm just going to stop. Sorry for the bummer of a message! STUPID FENCE!!! Pioneer Fencing in Snowflake/Taylor Arizona can burn in....

2009-03-20T06:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was talking with my class about physical and chemical changes in matter. A physical change is anything that happens to the appearence, shape, and size of matter, where as a chemical change makes the matter something different. To demonstrate this, I give the kids a piece of paper and tell them to make it something other than paper. Then we burn a piece of paper and ask them which one was physical and which one was chemical.

This has always been a great demonstration, but yesterday was different. One of my kids decided that he was going to eat the paper to make it change. This kid chews on paper all the time, so I didn't think about it being a bad thing and was monitoring the class. About a minute into the experiment, I turned around and noticed this kid leaning over my desk gasping for breath. Realizing what was happening, I ran to him and smacked him on the back a couple times. This didn't work and he kept gasping for breath. I grabbed him by the arm and we started walking to the nurse. You could here the air trying to pass through to his lungs, feel his body trying to get rid of the blockage...it was kind of scary.

On the way to the nurse, he fell on all fours and couldn't get up. When he fell, I knelt down and brought my hand down twice on his back, harder than I had in the classroom. The wad of paper, about as wide as my thumb, came shooting out of his mouth and he began coughing. He sucked in air and just knelt there for a bit...the nurse came out, thinking he was throwing up, and when I told her he had just choked on paper, she shook her head, not realizing how serious the situation had been.

So....I feel like a hero. This kid will probably never know how close he was to having something terrible happen, but for the moment I'm going to let this experience get me through the day. (BOY SCOUTS ROCK!!!)

2009-03-14T07:02:00.000-07:00

We have been prepping for the Galileo and AIMS test all week long, so I figured that the kids earned a reward. On Thursday, we tested all day long. It was one of those things where I knew the kids and I would be worn out in the afternoon, so I upped the anti a bit. On the whiteboard, in the morning, I wrote out our schedule and put down a "surprise" for the last part of the day. I didn't let them know what it was, increasing the amount of anticipation. We tested, did our work, and right before the surprise most of the kids believed that I was going to surprise them with a test. Shows you what kind of teacher they think I am.

I took the kids down to play warball, dodgeball for those of you who have seen the movie. They loved it! Even one of my more...laid back girls was getting into it and couldn't wait to play it again. On Friday, our P.E. teacher was gone, so I took them down for P.E. to play again. The games were intense, kids yelling and cheering...we had a lot of fun.

(P.S. Let's face it! I would be lying if I told you I didn't have fun chucking things at my kids!!!)

Bicycle Woes

2009-03-08T15:45:00.000-07:00

So...I got a bike. I've wanted one for about nine years, and finally bit the bullet, with the help of Amy.

Today, I took it out for an initial run....all the way to the school and back. I know, I'm a moron. Who in the world, but a moron, would decide to take a bike a grand total of about 7 miles on their first trip in 317 years. Seriously, what was I thinking?

I made it home...walking up the hill from H E Double Hockey Sticks, and through the sandy pits of the Sahara desert. Quite the trip.

The first thing Amy asked me was if I had fun...As I laid on the floor, trying to grasp for what could have been my last breath, I breathed out a "huh-uh", which probably sounded like a wilderbeast being rammed in the gut by a long horn.

So, in short, I'm enjoying my bike, but need to get in shape. I look forward to the day when I can make it home without walking the bike up the hill. I'll let you know how that goes.

Be wheel and pedal your brains out!

Strange

2009-03-06T06:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday at school, I had one of my students come in. He asked, "Mr. Ferguson, do you have a 10 by 10 box?" I looked at him and replied negatively, but told him that I would look for him. No joke, he stated, "Oh, I was going to put myself in it and mail myself to Asia."

I began to ask him questions. It turns out that his brother, who was in my class last year, is doing a report on Washington D.C. and needs pictures. I explained that Washington D.C. was the capital of our country, and that he wouldn't have to travel far. Just to make it a teachable moment, I began asking him questions about how he would get there. He first suggested a plane, until I told him that the oxygen levels are good enough and he would probably die. With several more questions, he decided the best way to do it was to mail himself. I asked him what he would do for food, water...he said that his brother had it all taken care of. I asked him what he would do for a restroom, and he said his brother was going to install plumbing...yes, he said plumbing. The conversation ended with us deciding that plumbing wouldn't work, because the post office would realize someone was in there and wouldn't mail it. So this student is rethinking his idea....I hope!

So...I share this story with Mrs. Young at the office, and she said that last week another teacher walked in laughing. The same student had been contorting his face, trying to look out of his nose.

And people don't understand why kids with ADHD can't concentrate....Not a fake disease my friends. They are really just out there.

so you want to be a teacher?!?

2009-02-21T07:31:00.000-08:00

Monday: No kids in the classroom because of the holiday. Amy and friends go to Flagstaff, I go to classroom to get caught up on some extra work. I began working at 10:00 a.m. thinking I would be home soon and play some video games...at 8:00 p.m. I make it home right before Amy. Time spent in classroom...10 hours

Tuesday: Kids for the rest of the week. Amy goes home sick from the cold that my kids gave her. I get to stay in the classroom until 6:30, getting ready for the next day...which I thought I had done on Monday. Brought work home to grade! Time spent in classroom....10 1/2 hours.

Wednesday: Meeting I forgot about, but that's ok. Had to take down the science fair and lost time getting work done anyway. Take down science fair, begin grading papers, stay in classroom to do online class for the meeting, go to meeting, get home at 8:30. Brought work home to grade! Time spent in classroom.....12 1/2 hours.

Thursday: After-school tutoring until 4:30, from 4:30-5:00 realized that I wasn't ready to start my new program. Amy picked me up at 5:00, after survivor I went back to the classroom. Got back home at midnight. Time spent in the classroom.....13 hours.

Friday: Came home with a lot of work to grade, determined not to go back to the classroom for more than an hour on the weekend. Time spent in the classroom....9 hours.

Amount of time the school required me to be at the school this week: 32 hours!
Time spent at school this week: 55 hours!
Amount of "Overtime": 23 hours! (Worth $345)
"Overtime" paid:

I know....that was a good joke, wasn't it!

Stupid Kids!

2009-02-15T00:36:00.000-08:00

It is almost 2:00 in the morning and I am sitting on the couch, sucking on a cough drop. Once again, I'm sick as a dog and have shared it with Amy. Who do you have to blame...the stupid kids! Being a teacher is tough. When things go around, you have a higher probability of catching them. Example, most people talk to others from a comfortable 2-3 feet away. Kids don't respect that boundry. As soon as they come in they are right up in your face. I'm the meanest teacher in Hulet, and they still come up and give me hugs or want to tell me stories. Then they give you their stuff...germs everywhere. I feel like I'm constantly in a battle for the very existence of my immune system.

I know it isn't the kids fault, but it is fun to blame it on them. We just put up the science fair and I have been going through a lot of stress as Kim and I are the two people in charge of everything. I've been trying to postpone this cold so that I could get everything up and running. On Wednesday, the science fair went up. On Thursday, the cold got a little worse, on Friday, a lot worse.

So...here I am, sucking on a lasange as I try to get my coughing to stop. Amy is asleep in the bedroom, so that she can get some sleep as I'm coughing up my spleen. Hopefully, my last fit of coughing didn't wake her, and I can go back to sleep. I have to cover for the library ladies in church today and don't want to go in sick.

Blog at you all later!

(TAKEN is a great movie!)

GO CARDS!!!

2009-02-01T07:57:00.000-08:00

V-DAY

2009-02-01T07:47:00.000-08:00

Number of Levels:100

Count of Enemy Tanks Destroyed:540

Spending hours of time playing games that don't matter to anyone but yourself and your pride: Priceless!!!

In my defence, I also did the laundry, cleaned the restroom, swept/swiffered the floors, and washed the dishes while Amy and friend Linda were out and about.

2009-01-30T17:52:00.000-08:00

ABBY ROCKS!!!

So, yesterday I blogged about how much of a devil cat Abby could be....today I retract my blog.

Amy went to El Rancho with some friends, which gave me some alone time. Now, when I have alone time, it means that I am doing one of two things. I am playing video games or I am watching my guy movies. You know, blood, guts, gore...all that fun stuff. Well, Amy went to El Rancho and I came home and turned on the Tank game. If you read yesterday's blog, you will know that I blamed my ultimate defeat and death on the cat. However...I found a picture of someone playing online, and I watched their video. It was pretty impressive. I took some of the techniques I saw and applied them today.

The end result was getting to level 94...only 6 levels away from the ultimate prize of whooping the game. I had a personal best of about 475 tanks destroyed and I owe it all to the cat. If she had left me alone yesterday, I don't think I could have done what I did today.

Total time of playing....1:25 minutes on just one game. Talk about an endeavor.

(P.S. Thanks to all of you who come in and read my ramblings.)

2009-01-29T17:20:00.000-08:00

Like a hawk, Abby watches, waiting for a chance to attack. Today I was playing one of my favorite games, Wii Play tank game. I had just passed level 55....about 257 tanks killed. I gained one more tank for beating 55 and was beginning to get my groove on, when Abby ran her fat head into my hand. The controller moved, my target moved, and I died!

Frustrated, I shut the game down and came here to blog. That darn cat!

2009-01-18T15:25:00.000-08:00

I texted Amy, who is in a meeting, first. I let her know that I was glad she made the decisino to buy the football platter, just in case we watched the superbowl. Then I called my dad who was celebrating out at the power plant with his workbuds. He is off on Superbowl Sunday, so there will be a get together. After my wife, then my dad, I came here to tell you!

The Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl. I have been a Cardinals fan for more than 17 years. Some of my fondest memories were sitting down with my dad, watching football. These Sunday afternoons were huge jumping points in our relationship as we talked, yelled, laughed, and yelled some more at the television.

For those 17 years I have watched disheartened as the Cardinals have given us a glimmer of hope, but lost it as the season went on. I remember the first time they made the playoffs, since I have been a fan, back in 1998. It was during this year that I graduated and went on my mission. One of the greatest moments of my life was watching the Cardinals beat the Cowboys in the first round of the play offs. As any true Cardinals fan knows, the Cowboys are of the devil. In the MTC I got the news that the Minnesota Vikings bumped the Cardinals out of the race in the second round.

On my mission, my dad kept me informed on the progress of the Cards. I loved getting these letters, most of them starting with, "Well, the Cardinals dropped another game." It was painful, but we hung in there.

Now, the Cardinals are in the Super Bowl and I am happier than a kid in a candy store with a million bucks. In fact, I'm so happy that I'm not even mad at those fans who just joined the team this year. So, to end, Go Cards! Kick some butt in the Super Bowl. Thank you for all the great years and for many more to come!!!

A Wrap Up Poem

2008-12-20T06:28:00.000-08:00

Till now there has not been a chance
to tell you all the song and dance
of life in Holbrook as a teacher man
nor even of a proud Cardinals fan
but in this season of love and joy
the present of time was given to a boy
another chance and another way
an opportunity to blog this day
so I submit this wrap up poem
for those who simply come here to roam

Amy and I are doing great
even though being sick seems to be our fate
I mostly blame the kids in math
who are paying me back for all of my wrath
But I am off and soon must do
the honey do list, where there are never too few
Amy has one more week of work
so during this time I cannot shirk
For the Speedie parents are coming here
to share with us there Christmas cheer

I'm excited for my Cards, the playoffs they're in
They were always my team, loss and win
for many years I have watched them falter
a couple good years that slow and halter
not since my mission, when the Cowboys they beat
have they made the playoffs or shown us much heat
but this year they give us a hope all brand new
My nails will be shorter, for when I'm nervous I chew

The cats are crazy and driving me wild
I feel like I'm dealing with an ignorant child
Abby loves to play in the Christmas tree
but only when it is dark, so I can not see
her scurry away as I get up my bed
to lay a light blow on top of her head
Arial also has energy to boot
my sleep to them has become quite moot
when I cover with blankets the top of my head
Arial jumps up to see what monster is in bed
So she'll prance and she'll dance
when given the chance
and through blankets she'll claw
till my face becomes raw
If they weren't so darn cute
they would both get the boot

So there is my wrap up, I hope you have time
to read and catch up, or cherish sublime
the words that I've typed for family and friends
to see how our life changes and bends
Enjoy the season, the cheer and the rest
and remember you're all the best of the best

Happy Holidays

Bachelor for the Night

2008-11-07T06:12:00.000-08:00

Many times I think about what it woudl be like to revert back to my days as a bachelor. Lonely, depressed, and eating cheese off of my chest....what would I do with all that time. Tonight, I get to find out what that would be like. Amy and her friend Linda are going to Flagstaff to watch, GAG, High School Musical Three. Naturally I had something to do, so I couldn't join this, DOUBLE GAG, excursion. Cleaning my shoe laces is extremely important.

So tonight, I get to be a bachelor. I think I'll spend it in the classroom, lonely and miserable, thinking up ways to excite the kids into doing their homework. I'll then come home, eat taco bell....more than likely, and play Halo until my brain explodes. This is what my life was like before Amy, and I so appreciate her spicing up my life and giving me a wonderful reason to keep plugging along.

So, in short, tonight I am a bachelor and I'm hoping to make it through until Amy comes home and my smile comes back. Until then boredom reigns...wish me luck!

Chess State!!!

2008-11-02T05:53:00.001-08:00

For the third year in a row, a Holbrook chess player will be competing in the state tournament. Jacob, my first board, won 4 of his 5 games in the Region Championship. He earned a 4th place spot in the region and qualified for state. I can't give you any more information on him, but if you know who Jacob is, please congratulate him!!!

Fishing with Becker

2008-11-02T05:11:00.001-08:00

A couple years ago my Canadian dad gave me an awesome fly-fishing rod. I was really excited, as I love fishing and have always wanted to go. Unfortunately, it has been in the storage room, mainly because I haven't had a chance to go out and fish. This is Arizona, and while we do fish, we have to drive a ways to get to a spot worth going to. That is, until now.

Kat, a Canadian friend here in Holbrook, let drop that her husband, Dan, went fly-fishing. I have never been out before and had no idea how to cast, tie knots, or do much of anything that is fly-fishing. Kat told Dan, and he talked to me the next day about going fly-fishing.

I trained for about an hour on the cast, and we went to a "secret" spot close to Holbrook. The fishing was tremendous! The fish we pulled out of there were huge and plentiful, hitting on every kind of eggs, spinners, whatever you put in the water. I had a blast.

Holbrook had a water outage....yes, you read right, and cancelled school for a day. We went fishing again on the surprise day off and the fishing was once again great. In fact, you can youtube it! Maybe I'll even get it here on my blog.

It was unfortunate, on this trip, that my pole, which has seen many fish, including three large ones on my own, caught its last hog. The upper part of the pole split into three pieces and my fly-fishing is done, for now. I can't wait to splurge on another pole and go again.

A special thanks to my Canadian dad! You rock!!! I used the pole twice and will always remember it. In fact, Amy and I are probably going to hang it up in the office...thank you for your gift of the pole and, more importantly, the experience and chance to learn a new, relaxing hobby.

See more by searching for Fly Fishing Northern Arizona 2 on youtube.com!

Total War

2008-10-10T07:28:00.000-07:00

I hereby declare war on all neighboring teams coming to town tonight. Holbrook is going to rip them, tear them, stick them, pin them, and checkmate them into oblivion. In order to do this we will do anything necessary, including the tactic shown by our own personal grandmaster below. Please to enjoy!

Just a Quick Recap

2008-09-29T07:29:00.001-07:00

So for those of you who actually take time to come to my page, an average of 32 seconds, I thought I would give you a quick recap of the last couple weeks. Please to enjoy!

I am a huge Cardinals fan, meaning that over the past 15 years I have been a sadistic freak who loves inflicting pain on himself. This year, they started out with two wins and no losses. I was on a high. The last two weeks however, the Cards have fallen back into form and lost on turnovers. 3 interceptions, 5 fumbles...a team has a hard time coming back from that. So, my euphoria is being slowly extinguished, but I'll stick with my team. Get the Bills next week...Go Cards!

The chess team participated in the Ash Fork tournament two weeks ago. We went in as 6th and finished as 5th. It was a decent tournament as we played a jv player on board 4 and had to move up two others spots. We also forfeited a board automatically as we only had four players attend.

I'm excited! I think the team can do really well this year. I also beat Jack Burden once and drew him twice. This is my hero on the chess board and I feel like I'm getting close to scraping out a game every once in a while.

Of course, I am still teaching! I feel like I'm getting close to losing it as more and more piles onto my list to do. I start a class today where I get to teach people how to use a Smart Board. It will be fun, but it cuts into the time that I already feel is gone.

For all of those who are stressed, excited, and happy...keep going. We'll make it!!!

Clowns Have Nothing on Carnies!

2008-09-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

As you may have read, in Amy's blog, we attended the Navajo County fair on Friday and Saturday. Ah the fair...filled with wonderful food, amazing rides that go "whoosh", and....oh yeah, SCARY CARNIE FOLK!!! It doesn't matter where you turn, there one is. Tattooed, pierced, glaring, daring to cheat you out of your money, and willing to cut you for a nickle...yes Carnie people are scary.

I have nothing against tatts and piercings, unless you are a Carnie person. Seriously, go watch them sometime. They don't look at you like a customer, they look at you like prey. Their eyes grow wild as you approach with excitement. Their mouth turns up at the corner, knowing that a sucker is born every minute. All they have to do is tear you away from the friends, and then the persuasion begins. They call your "name" out, "Heyya Beautiful, win a prize...everyone's a winner". "Look at those arms! Come on over Stud and show your lovely wife how strong you are". "Four Eyes are good for something! Get your tooshie over here nerd and show us how well you can shoot." Once they have you, its over!

You know what else hunts like that....Hyenas!!! Laughing, tricky hyenas who can actually make "human" noises to draw away their prey....how wonderful. Carnies are comparable to flesh eating Hyenas....makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

This year they found a new way to make me miserable! I blame getting sick on the nachos. I was loving the rodeo! Sitting with Amy, watching hot, sweaty cowb......mustangs buck off their riders and then watching the riders run for their lives. It was awesome. Then the nachos hit and I couldn't get home fast enough! The rest of the story shouldn't be published on a blog...so I'll leave it there.

In short, I had fun at the fair with Amy. We walked, we talked, we laughed.....we ignored the scary, nacho poisoning, hyena Carnies that could whoop clowns in a scare contest, and we will do it again next year because it is just that much fun spending two nights out with my amada!

Awesome Weekend!!!

2008-09-10T06:06:00.000-07:00

I just had a great weekend...of course that was three days ago. The Chess Team, which I have coached for the past four years, went to Tuba City for our first tournament. In a year that I thought I would barely be able to field a team, I had 9 newbies show up for practice. In this game I was able to take 6 people. Four of my returning team from last year and two newbies. In a field of 6 Varsity teams, we took 3rd. We lost four more games than second place and only lost to the two top ranked teams in the region. Much better than I expected. Our first board, Jacob, took 5th place overall! He only lost to the top ranked player in the region, who incidently took first in this tournament. Not a bad outing. One of my newbies took 5th in JV. He only lost to the players who took first and second in the tournament and earned a varsity spot in the next tournament. Another part of the weekend that rocked came in Fantasy Football. I know, chess and football don't really mix, but I'm that sporty nerd that loves both. Amy and I are both playing this year and we both did really well in the first game. I beat my opponent by 10 points for a record of 1-0-0. Amy lost by 4 points, for a record of 0-1-0. I feel bad because I gave her bad advice that would have allowed her to win. One of the team's websites had bad information on it and they played the second string running back. :( Overall....great weekend. The chess team has a good chance of making state for the third year in a row. Jacob and maybe Riley have an awesome chance of going to state individuals. It should be an exciting year.

Tim Gunn, Eat Your Heart Out!!!

2008-08-31T07:15:00.000-07:00

In the wonderful fashion of Project Runway, I have had my students create their own designs and fit them to their bodies. The assignment was clear. They were to use tissue paper, construction paper, tape, glue, and other classroom materials to replicate a specific Native American style. The tribes were seperated and they went forth and conquered. I could get away with this because the lesson was later used to show them the how the differences in region affect lifestyles. The students had an awesome time, and I got to say, "Make it work!", so I'm happy. Please to enjoy!!!

Territorial

2008-08-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

So, Abby is becoming very territorial. She has been obsessed with the cricket lately, one of Amy's scrapping machines. Everytime I come in the house she is laying right there, cuddling with this hunk of plastic.....in fact I just got up to feed them, right now, and she is laying there with the cricket. It is very disneyish in thought. The cat and the cricket....anywho....I just thought this was weird.

But that isn't it! When we get home, she'll tear herself away from the cricket and lay on the rug by the door. She hasn't done this for a year, and now she can't stop. It is kind of wigging me out...but thus is the life of a crazy cat.

Canning the Green

2008-08-23T23:10:00.000-07:00

So for the first time in two or three years, Amy and I were able to get hold of a bag of green chile. For those of you who know me well, you know I have many loves of food. One of those is this wonderfully flavorful plant that provides heat and taste. It makes everything better and goes great with rootbeer. Yes, I was excited to get a hold of this bag...

Then we started canning the green chile.......pictures to come. For now just know that I began prepping the chile on Thursday evening, finishing around 9:00. Tonight Amy, the parents, and I have been at it for 6 hours. I've started falling asleep, so I began to blog instead. Dad is falling asleep on the couch across from me...trying to make it look like he is still watching "Return of the King".

.....We finally finished at 2:30 in the morning. Jeeze! I didn't realize that it would take that long, but it was fun spending time with Amy and the parents. All together we got almost 90 cans of chile, ranging from mild to hot in flavor. It was quite the process, and for more on that I would read Amy's blog. She really put in the details.

Just a little bit of the aftermath for you to ponder. Enjoy!

Only 176 Days Left!!!

2008-08-09T11:50:00.001-07:00

The first week is over! The students have survived one of the hardest times of the year as I have had to set the precedent in class. There has been blood, tears, sweat, and fear as students try to see how far they can push me, and they haven't been too happy with the results. This year I was determined to be quick to correct any misbehavior, and so far it has been the best start to any of my years. Of course, it also allows me to loosen up and have fun when I know that I can fall back on Eldon the Barbarian.

I'll keep you posted on all of the funny stories. I have been staying late at the school and haven't posted for a while, so I'm really going to try to make sure you hear more.

(Activity of the Week) Archeology! I dug out a large rectangle, buried different types of candy, and covered it up. I then sectioned it off and the kids dug and plotted the spot where they found the candy. We returned to the classroom, compared information, and then the students had to describe/draw the layout of the "House" that we dug up. Each type of candy represented soemthing that you would find in the house, giving them the clues as to where each room might be. Great success!!!

"Why a Spoon Cousin?"

2008-07-22T06:16:00.001-07:00

Nough said for all those who have watched Prince of Thieves.

We got to attend my niece's birthday party. One of my favorite parts is getting to climb the pinata tree. Monkey by nature, I guess.

Another favorite part of these parties is spending time with good friends. This would be Kim and I. We went to school together, danced together in Swing Thing, and now teach together. She is as loyal a friend as they come.

We have a lot of cute pictures of the nieces and nephews. I don't dare post them without permission, but let me know if you would like emailed copies.

Weeds go Squish

2008-07-15T17:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the "opportunity" to get the dead weeds out of my yard. There was a sick process to this that was both painful and satisfying.

Fill the truck with a bunch of weeds. In the process, make sure to poke yourself as many times as possible. Wear gloves...they don't keep you from getting jabbed, but at least you don't get it under the fingernails....most of the time.

Climb the mountain of weeds, making sure to poke yourself as many times as possible. Jump, smash, and squish the weeds as much as possible so that you can complete the next step. Wear jeans. They don't help one bit...but at least you look like you know what you are doing.

Load the truck again, making sure to poke yourself as many times as possible. Don't worry, after the second climb your arms go numb and you won't be able to feel all of the barbs.

Scale the Arizona's version of Everest and squish the weeds, making sure to poke yourself as many times as possible. Repeat the process until you either pass out or can't squish the weeds down anymore. For my truck, this was four times.

Good luck and have fun!

Brother and Notables

2008-07-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

I know this picture is a little crazy, but so is my brother. I got into more misadvventures with him than Chewy did with Han Solo. I often joke about how my childhood was spent trying to keep my brother out of trouble...trying to keep him alive. I had to protect him from the napalm he made himself, numerous hunting trips, crazy driving, and a lot of other incidents that I don't think I should mention. The truth of it though is that most of my childhood memories revolve around him. Rather than keeping him safe, he kept me going. He gave me a life full of excitement and friendship. He is a true friend, loyal to the utmost. (And let's face it...he put up with a lot of my craziness and survived.) My brother is the best friend a guy could have.

This is a shout out to all of the other fruitcakes who joined the family. Let's face it...you all have to be pretty crazy to deal with the Fergies. Older Sister's Husband has been a friend for years. I wouldn't give him up for a million cases of rootbeer. Their tiny one is cuter than a button and loves bowling with me. Brother's wife is a sweetheart. She always looks so happy to see me, even when she is exhausted and would rather be asleep. I really enjoyed spending time with her on Wednesday and look forward to seeing them again on Saturday. Younger Sister's husband is one of the most helpful people I know. If he isn't sleeping, he'll help you out with any car problem you have. Their three little ones are awesome and have such distinct personalities. I love all of you guys! Thanks for being a part of our madness.

Sisters

2008-07-10T10:53:00.000-07:00

Sister Older and Sister Younger have two sides.....as the picture depicts.

Sister Older has always been my guardian angel....the white witch. In school, church, play, work, everywhere I went, she took it upon herself to take after me. We have had a lot of great times. BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT....She has an evil side as well. My so caleed guardian angel was also my arch nemesis. We got in many a wrestling matches that resulted in holes and dents in the wall. The teasing went back and forth then, and still does today. I love Sister Older. She has kept me on my toes and caught me when I've fallen.

Sister Younger is one of the sweetest people in the world. Always loving and worrying about how I am doing. She has a unique ability to know that something is wrong before I start talking. Now some of that may be because I mope around like a little puppy, but I still think it is a pretty neat trick.....BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.... Sister Younger is the only person that I have seen go from good witch to bad witch in a matter of seconds. There would be many a time that the black witch would attack, screaming at the top of her lungs, only to turn into the white witch when she answered the phone. I love Sister Younger. She is a pleasant, sometimes scary, little bundle of joy.

My sisters mean a lot to me. I have always tried to be there for them...even if that meant scaring the living daylights out of them at all possible times.

Mom and Dad

2008-07-09T06:27:00.000-07:00

I have decided that my next blogs are going to be a commentary on my family, starting with my parents. I have to tell you that I love these people. They have been my supporters for years on end, putting up with everything that I have ever dished out. Through high and low times, they were there behind me, doing whatever they could to keep my head above water. They are amazing. So without any further ado.....
(I apologize...my first image of supermom didn't load...so I replaced it.)

My mom has been there for everything major in my life. She was the person that I confided when I had a problem in my life. She was my savior on many occasions, giving advice on everything from my school crushes to help in college. Mom is the ultimate example of never ending love. No matter what we did, and believe me we did a lot to get whooped for, she stood by us. Sometimes she stood by us with a promise that we would get it when dad got home, but she was always there to pick us up after the "punishments". With mom, you always understood why something happened the way it did. She taught us how to be ourselves, and for that I will ever be grateful. I love my mom!

Dad was everything you could have asked for in a father. If you needed something fixed, he fixed it. If you needed a laugh, he gave it. If you wanted a friend, he was that friend. If you needed a whooping, he had two knees. He encouraged me to do my best in everything that I attempted. He taught me that if you have to work, work hard. If you have to play, play hard. Like mom, he supported me in everything I ever did, even when he didn't understand why I wanted to do such an activity. He is everything I want to be as a father myself one day, my true inspiration. I love my dad!

I meant for these entries to be funny, but I just couldn't do it. My parents mean so much to me and it is high time that I let everyone know that. Besides my wife, there is no one that I enjoy being around more...no offense meant. Mom, Dad, I love you both!

Enjoy the posts on family....the sisters are up next! (Evil Laugh)

"COPE"ing

2008-07-06T19:35:00.000-07:00

The Copes were in Holbrook for the fourth of July and we had a blast. They rolled in on Thursday night and we yapped it up. I love talking to them as they give mostly intelligent responses! NO, we all know that I'm the one who has a hard time keeping up.
On Friday we hit the firemans barbeque, which as always was excellent. The afternoon was spent with playing "Rock Band" and getting ready for the fireworks, which are still the best in the state! Saturday Gene kicked my hind end in raquetball with Josh and James. We had a great time hanging with the ladies and even helping with invitations.
Unfortunately the Copes had to go back home and we won't see them for another couple weeks.

My Country

2008-07-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

There have been many things in my life that I have valued, but none greater than my country. This wonderful land is truly a land of promise. We have rolling hills, steep mountains, low deserts, magnificent forests, and so much more. Our states are a source of pride, only to be superceeded by the freedom of our constitution. In short, there is no place better.

I love this country, the freedom it provides, and the ideals that we started it out with. In short, I couldn't be prouder to be American.

The Nectar of the Gods

2008-06-28T07:11:00.000-07:00

It is a well known fact that after the apple, Adam and Eve had to leave the garden and work by the sweat of their brow. What is not as well known is that God still loved them and sent them help in the form of The Nectar of the Gods.

This little known fact has been hidden from us and the name changed throughout the years. In fact, it wasn't until the Greeks got a hold of the recipe that the drink became known as A&W Rootbeer. It makes perfect sense, doesn't it. The "A" stands for Ambrosia, the Olympians favored vegetation. The "W" stands for water, the most common of all drinks. Put the two together and you have water infused with Ambrosia, which we all know is the drink of the gods.

Of course, there have been false priests that have come across and tried to sway the people away from this drink. Other rootbeers were formed, but none quite compared to the holiest of nectars, A&W. So yes, I will blog for rootbeer. Who am I to mess with the Nectar of the Gods.

2008-06-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

Aerosmith, Nirvana, ZZ Top...all had their time! Now reigns the House of Ferguson. On Monday Amy and I got Rock Band for the Wii. Singing, drumming, guitars...what a blast. Amy has been rocking the drums and, much to the distraction of my former Swing Thing Members, I have been loving the microphone. We can't wait to get the second guitar and thus began a musical extravaganza with friends and family.

Waiting to Rock

2008-06-23T13:13:00.001-07:00

Here I sit
waiting for a man
he's gotta be coming
with my new rock band

I don't dare to leave
in case I miss him
and minute by minute
my patience grows slim

so I made up this blog
in order to help time pass
on my comfortable couch
where I have a print of my ...rear!

"Bear"lls of Fun!

2008-06-21T06:44:00.000-07:00

The following scenes were captured at risk of life and limb. Your humble elfman skillfully scaled a outcropping of rock overlooking the Polar Bear exhibit at the Albuquerque zoo in order to bring you these wonderful images. This demanding form of dedication has only been seen, dare I say, on one other project...Planet Earth. Please to enjoy!

Subject 1..."The Watcher" is up top. This Bear was cool, but not as awesome as subject 2..."Beary Showoff", who's head you can see underneath the barrel. Why is it underneath the barrell....beacause Bear 2 THREW IT...yeah..way cool!

After tossing his toy, "Beary Showoff" would dive into the water below,where the barrell had landed, and begin the process of dragging it back up his rocky stage.

During one stage of the lift, seen here, "The Watcher" bear decided to get involved and was reprimanded for this rash decision.

Luckily no bears were harmed in the shooting of this film.

*Disclaimer* These photos were actually taken by Angela Speedie, my sister-in-law. She stole my photos which depicted "Beary Showoff" Holding the barrell above his/her head and many other amazing shots. I know, it is going to be hard to forgive her for this tragic mistake...but if we are beary dedicated in the effort I'm sure we can find a way to let her back into our hearts. (LOVE YOU ANGELA)

My wonderful wife, Amy, found the pictures when she woke up. I would like to publicly apologize to Angela. Technically I could have just erased the above entry...but it was so much work to type!

B-E-A-UTIFUL

2008-06-18T20:47:00.001-07:00

For completely selfish purposes, I'm glad Amy is sick today. In fact I would go as far as to say that it is B-E-A-UTIFUL. During the year we don't get a lot of chances to spend a day together as work takes us away from each other. Today though was our day. We woke up slowly, Amy sleeping on the couch while I spent some time on the computer. Breakfast was chill, we watched t.v., did some laundry, and spent a little alone time playing games and scrapbooking. Then we came back together and I have been able to spend the last five hours with my B-E-A-UTIFUL wife. She truly is the diamond in an otherwise rough world. I don't know what I would do without her...sick or not.