Holy Crap!!! Has it been that long since last I visited the hallowed pages of this glorious site? I feel as though I have neglected the very people who understand me best.
I'm sorry!
New Years resolution #638 (I have a lot to work on): I will be better about posting and visiting SG to keep up with everything that is happening. (I should prolly make this resolution #1, but I actually have "don't allow head to explode when dealing with ex-wife" in that spot.)
I hope that everyone had a great Holiday season. I know i did! I got everything I asked Santa for and more ... I'll post pictures about the more soon enough! Let me just say that it involved a giant jetted tub, an entire bottle of glow in the dark bubble bath, and more bubbles than I have ever seen in my entire life! Oh, and a giant round bed.
Big things have happened in the past week and I had to share it somewhere. I can't on any of the other SN sites that I frequent because my super conservative/religious ex-wife is on there and she watches my status and wall posts to gather dirt ... ugh! So SG, I hope you don't mind if I use you for a sounding board.
What's the big news?
Well, here it is ... my beautiful, wonderful, loving girl friend finally moved in with me. I had asked her to right before Christmas and she said NO! But after she got back from visiting family in Maine, she realized how much she wanted to and asked if the offer was still on the table. I was elated to hear that she had changed her mind, and what do you know I have a new roomie! ... Oddly enough my current roomie told me the other day that he was going to move out this or next month too, so it was pretty good timing!
So, to start the new year, I have a new roommate whom I get to have extra-curricular activity with (she is really good at dodge ball), and I get to free up some space for when my kids come to visit! Hell Yeah!
Anyway, I just thought I would share my good fortune with the rest of my friends here! I hope you all have equally good ju-ju as we move into 2010.
Cheers,
price
I'm sorry!
New Years resolution #638 (I have a lot to work on): I will be better about posting and visiting SG to keep up with everything that is happening. (I should prolly make this resolution #1, but I actually have "don't allow head to explode when dealing with ex-wife" in that spot.)
I hope that everyone had a great Holiday season. I know i did! I got everything I asked Santa for and more ... I'll post pictures about the more soon enough! Let me just say that it involved a giant jetted tub, an entire bottle of glow in the dark bubble bath, and more bubbles than I have ever seen in my entire life! Oh, and a giant round bed.
Big things have happened in the past week and I had to share it somewhere. I can't on any of the other SN sites that I frequent because my super conservative/religious ex-wife is on there and she watches my status and wall posts to gather dirt ... ugh! So SG, I hope you don't mind if I use you for a sounding board.
What's the big news?
Well, here it is ... my beautiful, wonderful, loving girl friend finally moved in with me. I had asked her to right before Christmas and she said NO! But after she got back from visiting family in Maine, she realized how much she wanted to and asked if the offer was still on the table. I was elated to hear that she had changed her mind, and what do you know I have a new roomie! ... Oddly enough my current roomie told me the other day that he was going to move out this or next month too, so it was pretty good timing!
So, to start the new year, I have a new roommate whom I get to have extra-curricular activity with (she is really good at dodge ball), and I get to free up some space for when my kids come to visit! Hell Yeah!
Anyway, I just thought I would share my good fortune with the rest of my friends here! I hope you all have equally good ju-ju as we move into 2010.
Cheers,
price
I have a new number one on my all time top 5 things I hate about teaching--which is impressive because I really love being a teacher. The old number one was parents. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge advocate for parents being active in their kids education, and I fully believe that the more active the parent is, the better their child will perform. I just hate when parents call me three days after final grades are in and demand that I change their child's grade because "[their] child is not a B/C/D/F student."
I'm sorry, sometimes (and by sometimes I mean most of the time) they are B students at best!
Anyway, my new number one (followed very closely by parents) is whiny kids. I have had, in the past week, kids complain about everything I ask them to do, from quietly watching a movie (the new Star Trek--why would you complain about two days of watching a movie? I prayed for days like that when i was in school!) to listening to me lecture. I shit you not, I had a student look at me today and ask if I was done talking so she could finish her discussion with her neighbor. This same student elected to correct me when I called another student by their GIVEN name and not the nick name that they are more commonly known by. I was a little frustrated. If i could, I would have thrown her ass out the door. But, thanks to the powers that be, we get to practice patience in our classroom and acceptance. This new age "love and logic" bull shit is going to kill me. Sometimes a kid needs to get kicked out of class and put in their place.
GRRRRRRRR!
Some days I question why I went into the field of education, and then I remember it is so I could teach college, where you pay to take classes and if you fail a class mommy and daddy can't call the professor and chew them out for failing you. It is your own damn fault.
Seriously, when did we stop teaching kids to take ownership for their actions and begin saying it is OK to let the blame fall on someone else. If you fail, it is obviously because the teacher was unable to reach you because your special. You are a brilliant student even though you cannot tell the difference between Your, You're, Yor or any other homophone. You can't spell your name right or string together a sentence more complex than "See spot run," but you will graduate valedictorian because you joined lots of clubs and cheered really loud at homecoming. Good luck when you do leave these walls because we are sending you out with no marketable skills and no real life awareness, but your be OK. The world is your oyster and when things get tough you'll just make lemon aid. BLAH BLAH BLAH!
... Sorry, Ranting ...
Anyway, if you ever have kids, or if you already do have kids, please teach them that they are responsible for their successes and failures in life. And if they are having a difficult time with a teacher (because we are not perfect and not every student will connect with us or our teaching methods), tell them to talk to that teacher to see what compromise can be arrived at .. preferably before there is nothing that I (or the teacher) can do to solve the issue. Contrary to popular, unspoken belief, teachers cannot read minds (though you'd be surprised how adept you get a guessing after teaching for 7+ years) and need to be informed if there is a problem/concern. If you don't go talk to them, they will assume that everything is just fine and will continue doing as they always have.
...
So, that was much longer than I planned on ranting. Ha-ha, i guess I had more pent up frustrations than I thought I did. On a lighter note, I got to have my kids for Thanksgiving this year! I was super excited and had so much fun playing with them, stuffing our faces, watching the parade, napping, playing in the leaves, and a weekend full of activities. They are the one thing I am most thankful for. I hope everyone else had a good holiday too!
Cheers,
Price
I'm sorry, sometimes (and by sometimes I mean most of the time) they are B students at best!
Anyway, my new number one (followed very closely by parents) is whiny kids. I have had, in the past week, kids complain about everything I ask them to do, from quietly watching a movie (the new Star Trek--why would you complain about two days of watching a movie? I prayed for days like that when i was in school!) to listening to me lecture. I shit you not, I had a student look at me today and ask if I was done talking so she could finish her discussion with her neighbor. This same student elected to correct me when I called another student by their GIVEN name and not the nick name that they are more commonly known by. I was a little frustrated. If i could, I would have thrown her ass out the door. But, thanks to the powers that be, we get to practice patience in our classroom and acceptance. This new age "love and logic" bull shit is going to kill me. Sometimes a kid needs to get kicked out of class and put in their place.
GRRRRRRRR!
Some days I question why I went into the field of education, and then I remember it is so I could teach college, where you pay to take classes and if you fail a class mommy and daddy can't call the professor and chew them out for failing you. It is your own damn fault.
Seriously, when did we stop teaching kids to take ownership for their actions and begin saying it is OK to let the blame fall on someone else. If you fail, it is obviously because the teacher was unable to reach you because your special. You are a brilliant student even though you cannot tell the difference between Your, You're, Yor or any other homophone. You can't spell your name right or string together a sentence more complex than "See spot run," but you will graduate valedictorian because you joined lots of clubs and cheered really loud at homecoming. Good luck when you do leave these walls because we are sending you out with no marketable skills and no real life awareness, but your be OK. The world is your oyster and when things get tough you'll just make lemon aid. BLAH BLAH BLAH!
... Sorry, Ranting ...
Anyway, if you ever have kids, or if you already do have kids, please teach them that they are responsible for their successes and failures in life. And if they are having a difficult time with a teacher (because we are not perfect and not every student will connect with us or our teaching methods), tell them to talk to that teacher to see what compromise can be arrived at .. preferably before there is nothing that I (or the teacher) can do to solve the issue. Contrary to popular, unspoken belief, teachers cannot read minds (though you'd be surprised how adept you get a guessing after teaching for 7+ years) and need to be informed if there is a problem/concern. If you don't go talk to them, they will assume that everything is just fine and will continue doing as they always have.
...
So, that was much longer than I planned on ranting. Ha-ha, i guess I had more pent up frustrations than I thought I did. On a lighter note, I got to have my kids for Thanksgiving this year! I was super excited and had so much fun playing with them, stuffing our faces, watching the parade, napping, playing in the leaves, and a weekend full of activities. They are the one thing I am most thankful for. I hope everyone else had a good holiday too!
Cheers,
Price
Hmmm, where to start! Well the 1st trimester is quickly drawing to a close here in Idaho, and that means that I only have two more to go before this school year draws to a close. That sounds like an eternity to type, but I fear in the back of my head that it will pass rather quickly. I have a ton of papers to grade and I really REALLY don't want to grade them, ... so if any of you are bored and want to take care of that for me I would appreciate all the help I can get 
!
Everything else in my life seems to be going just swimmingly ... I guess.
My daughter just turned 1, a huge landmark event. And I got to take her and my son Trick-or-Treating. It was a blast! Aiden was The Flash, (I am prepping him early for the oncoming years of geek that he will go through to become a Nerd God!) and not just any Flash, the Barry Allen Flash, which is his favorite Flash. Last year he was the Steve Rogers Captain America, not the Bucky Cap that Brubaker has been writing for the past year+. He is very particular about his heroes! It makes my heart proud. Laila was a very cute pumpkin. In another year or so I believe she will start choosing her own costumes too, but I think her mom will try and direct her to less nerdy selections. C'est la vie!
For a minute I considered posting some pictures of them in their costumes up, but that thought led to me contemplating how I would feel if I logged on one day, 20 years down the road, and found she had started her own account and was posting pictures. Then I felt really REALLY awkward and had to end that train of thought as quickly as it started.
I did decide that if I ever signed on and got a friend request from a current or former student I would cancel my account instantly. That would perhaps be the most awkward invitation EVER! Don't get me wrong I have taught some very pretty young girls, but there is a line that you just DON'T cross EVER and that is ABSOLUTELY one of them.
(Ugh shivers)
The notion of thoughts and how non-linearly we move through our minds is something that I have been contemplating lately. Every year I have my seniors read The Mezzanine by Nicholson Baker. It is a brilliant narrative about a single lunch hour and all the random thoughts that Baker has during that isolated period of time. In the story he talks about every thing under the sun, from paper straws to bathroom etiquette, stage fright (guys you know what I mean) to escalators. I love the randomness of the story, and that Baker uses the footnote (a very neglected tool in writing) to highlight these moment where his thoughts diverge onto different tangents. If you are looking for a very thought provoking read I would highly recommend it!
Alright, enough wasting time, I have to get back to work. Ugh! Stack of essays, here I come ... with matches and lighter fluid!
Cheers,
Price
!Everything else in my life seems to be going just swimmingly ... I guess.
My daughter just turned 1, a huge landmark event. And I got to take her and my son Trick-or-Treating. It was a blast! Aiden was The Flash, (I am prepping him early for the oncoming years of geek that he will go through to become a Nerd God!) and not just any Flash, the Barry Allen Flash, which is his favorite Flash. Last year he was the Steve Rogers Captain America, not the Bucky Cap that Brubaker has been writing for the past year+. He is very particular about his heroes! It makes my heart proud. Laila was a very cute pumpkin. In another year or so I believe she will start choosing her own costumes too, but I think her mom will try and direct her to less nerdy selections. C'est la vie!
For a minute I considered posting some pictures of them in their costumes up, but that thought led to me contemplating how I would feel if I logged on one day, 20 years down the road, and found she had started her own account and was posting pictures. Then I felt really REALLY awkward and had to end that train of thought as quickly as it started.
I did decide that if I ever signed on and got a friend request from a current or former student I would cancel my account instantly. That would perhaps be the most awkward invitation EVER! Don't get me wrong I have taught some very pretty young girls, but there is a line that you just DON'T cross EVER and that is ABSOLUTELY one of them.
(Ugh shivers)
The notion of thoughts and how non-linearly we move through our minds is something that I have been contemplating lately. Every year I have my seniors read The Mezzanine by Nicholson Baker. It is a brilliant narrative about a single lunch hour and all the random thoughts that Baker has during that isolated period of time. In the story he talks about every thing under the sun, from paper straws to bathroom etiquette, stage fright (guys you know what I mean) to escalators. I love the randomness of the story, and that Baker uses the footnote (a very neglected tool in writing) to highlight these moment where his thoughts diverge onto different tangents. If you are looking for a very thought provoking read I would highly recommend it!
Alright, enough wasting time, I have to get back to work. Ugh! Stack of essays, here I come ... with matches and lighter fluid!
Cheers,
Price
I just deleted a very long blog about how much I want to be able to have a social life that exists outside of HS students. It was brilliant and may have been the single piece of writing that would change the world for millions, end world hunger, and peace to the warring countries of the world.
But alas, it is now lost to the void of refreshed web pages. Grrrrr! If it were not so late I would try and recreate it, but it is late and I have meetings in the morning. So, I will provide a Cliff Notes version and hopefully it will at least get my point across even if it doesn't feed the masses or usher in an era of peace and utopia.
Summary:
I was told by a colleague that I would be wise to block students from following me on twitter because I follow SG and several of the models and that could be seen as inappropriate if a parent saw that or a student suggested they were offended by it or a comment. I want to know when I lost my ability to have a personal life. I know I chose to be a teacher and that there are certain things that come with the territory, but really? Now I have to censor myself when I an off the clock and want to just be me. I think that I have earned the right to be as bad or good as I choose when outside the classroom. I am not a teacher 24/7. I get time to me a regular Joe!
I followed the colleague's advice, partly because at the time it seemed sound (and still does) and because I like my privacy, but in retrospect it kind of pissed me off! If I want to tweet about how my feet don't touch the ground when I use a handicapped toilet (this is a mystery to me ... why are handicapped toilets so much taller than regular toilets. You would think that it would be easier for the handicapped person to get on and off the pot if it were more level. and yes i have tweeted about this problem in the past), I should be able to do so without fear that it will be the center of discussion during my next class.
When I was in HS, I wanted nothing to do with my teachers outside of their class. Anymore, with facebook and myspace, it seems that students are stalking teachers to get "dirt" that they can use later. Is my life really that fantastic? I don't think so!
Anyway, It was a random thought that hit me today and I thought I would share. Oh, if you are on twitter hit me up ... @hamiwill.
Cheers,
Price
But alas, it is now lost to the void of refreshed web pages. Grrrrr! If it were not so late I would try and recreate it, but it is late and I have meetings in the morning. So, I will provide a Cliff Notes version and hopefully it will at least get my point across even if it doesn't feed the masses or usher in an era of peace and utopia.
Summary:
I was told by a colleague that I would be wise to block students from following me on twitter because I follow SG and several of the models and that could be seen as inappropriate if a parent saw that or a student suggested they were offended by it or a comment. I want to know when I lost my ability to have a personal life. I know I chose to be a teacher and that there are certain things that come with the territory, but really? Now I have to censor myself when I an off the clock and want to just be me. I think that I have earned the right to be as bad or good as I choose when outside the classroom. I am not a teacher 24/7. I get time to me a regular Joe!
I followed the colleague's advice, partly because at the time it seemed sound (and still does) and because I like my privacy, but in retrospect it kind of pissed me off! If I want to tweet about how my feet don't touch the ground when I use a handicapped toilet (this is a mystery to me ... why are handicapped toilets so much taller than regular toilets. You would think that it would be easier for the handicapped person to get on and off the pot if it were more level. and yes i have tweeted about this problem in the past), I should be able to do so without fear that it will be the center of discussion during my next class.
When I was in HS, I wanted nothing to do with my teachers outside of their class. Anymore, with facebook and myspace, it seems that students are stalking teachers to get "dirt" that they can use later. Is my life really that fantastic? I don't think so!
Anyway, It was a random thought that hit me today and I thought I would share. Oh, if you are on twitter hit me up ... @hamiwill.
Cheers,
Price
I did it! I finally got my first tat!
I got it on my ribs and holy crap it hurt like hell! The lines come from The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Elliot, and they are my favorite lines in all of literature. They have special meaning for me as this last year has been full of monumental changes in my life ... divorce, leaving my religion, pushing forward in a new direction professionally, ... the list goes on.
On a less serious note, I got a new guitar for an early birthday present from a wonderful friend who may end up becoming much more than just that. Only time will tell, but she is very sweet and far too kind to me. I had a hard time accepting the gift because it cost way too much I'm sure, and I have issues with accepting gifts in the first place, but I am trying very diligently to be a gracious recipient. Besides, it is really fun to play and sounds sooooooooo good!
It's not the best image, but it is really really pretty!
Cheers,
Price
I got it on my ribs and holy crap it hurt like hell! The lines come from The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Elliot, and they are my favorite lines in all of literature. They have special meaning for me as this last year has been full of monumental changes in my life ... divorce, leaving my religion, pushing forward in a new direction professionally, ... the list goes on.
On a less serious note, I got a new guitar for an early birthday present from a wonderful friend who may end up becoming much more than just that. Only time will tell, but she is very sweet and far too kind to me. I had a hard time accepting the gift because it cost way too much I'm sure, and I have issues with accepting gifts in the first place, but I am trying very diligently to be a gracious recipient. Besides, it is really fun to play and sounds sooooooooo good!
It's not the best image, but it is really really pretty!
Cheers,
Price
So yesterday I experienced the sensation associated with the thrill and adrenaline felt by many other coaches and athletes. My team actually won a game! Now this is not to say that we are an entirely terrible group of players ... quite the opposite. My team has played some very tough teams and kept a pretty good pace with them, losing by mere points. We have also played some pretty poor teams and been thoroughly stomped though we should have won.
Anyway, I was quite proud of my girls and their efforts. The team they played was not exceptionally talented, but they did take it to three matches (most volleyball is played best out of three matches with the first two going to 25 points and the third going to 15 if needed). While this may ordinarily not be considered a huge achievement to some, this is a big deal to me because I have never coached of played any organized sport since I was in the 3rd grade (I played t-ball but rode the bench most of the time because I was so bad I could barely hit the ball three feet off the T ... true story). I was the kid who got stuck in the outfield behind first base so that I would have the least chance possible of getting the ball. The one time the ball was hit to me I was busy wiggling a loose tooth and got so excited that I pulled the tooth out, only to be then faced with the dilemma of what to do. Did I run the tooth to my mom so I could collect my 25 cents from the tooth fairy, or did I drop the tooth and get the ball. What I ended up doing was stand there crying while everyone yelled at me to do SOMETHING. I'm pretty sure we lost that game, along with every other game that we played that season, and I'm almost positive that was the end of my dream to someday play professionally for the San Diego Padres.
In High School I tried to revive that sense of machismo by thinking that I could try out for the foot ball team, but apparently a 90lbs sophomore that is barely topping 5 foot is not high on their list of characteristics that will definitely aid them in their quest to take the State 4A title. Instead I focused on other avenues: art, theater, music, writing, etc. And now I am a coach. How the Hell did that happen? The fact that I am getting paid to coach a sport that I know next to nothing about is disturbing and ironic.
So, what made yesterday's matches so different from the rest of the matches that we have been playing all year? One very small adjustment that apparently everyone else knew was a problem but never chose to point out to me. There is NOTHING more frustrating than to solve a problem only to be told by the first person you share your discovery with that "[they] knew that was the problem, but didn't think to say anything." AAAHHHRRRGGGHHH!!! Seriously? Seriously? Everyone but me knew this was an issue, even the girls on my team, and NO ONE thought to let me, a coach who has no clue what the hell he's doing, know how to fix the problem? WOW!
"So, Price, what was the problem?"
I'm glad you asked that internal dialogue voice! You see in volleyball you want to have as many different hitters on the court at one time as possible. You also need a setter and a passer. Well, in my rotations I have had my setter playing from the back row on half of the rotation, and by switching one of them (I have two setters a front row and a back row) so that she rotated in on the front row instead of the back it opened up a place for another back row hitter/passer and filled in the hole created by the back row setter running into the front position every time. As boring as that sounds (i'm falling asleep as I type it), it made a huge difference in the way that the girls played and hopefully will continue to be a plus in their ability to cover and control the ball. It certainly made for some really good volleyball.
Anyway, that is the big news around my place! Exciting huh!
Sometimes I wonder is the fact that I live vicariously through my students is as depressing as it sounds. I really need to spend less time with teenagers and more time in the company of adults! Haha!
Cheers,
Price
Anyway, I was quite proud of my girls and their efforts. The team they played was not exceptionally talented, but they did take it to three matches (most volleyball is played best out of three matches with the first two going to 25 points and the third going to 15 if needed). While this may ordinarily not be considered a huge achievement to some, this is a big deal to me because I have never coached of played any organized sport since I was in the 3rd grade (I played t-ball but rode the bench most of the time because I was so bad I could barely hit the ball three feet off the T ... true story). I was the kid who got stuck in the outfield behind first base so that I would have the least chance possible of getting the ball. The one time the ball was hit to me I was busy wiggling a loose tooth and got so excited that I pulled the tooth out, only to be then faced with the dilemma of what to do. Did I run the tooth to my mom so I could collect my 25 cents from the tooth fairy, or did I drop the tooth and get the ball. What I ended up doing was stand there crying while everyone yelled at me to do SOMETHING. I'm pretty sure we lost that game, along with every other game that we played that season, and I'm almost positive that was the end of my dream to someday play professionally for the San Diego Padres.
In High School I tried to revive that sense of machismo by thinking that I could try out for the foot ball team, but apparently a 90lbs sophomore that is barely topping 5 foot is not high on their list of characteristics that will definitely aid them in their quest to take the State 4A title. Instead I focused on other avenues: art, theater, music, writing, etc. And now I am a coach. How the Hell did that happen? The fact that I am getting paid to coach a sport that I know next to nothing about is disturbing and ironic.
So, what made yesterday's matches so different from the rest of the matches that we have been playing all year? One very small adjustment that apparently everyone else knew was a problem but never chose to point out to me. There is NOTHING more frustrating than to solve a problem only to be told by the first person you share your discovery with that "[they] knew that was the problem, but didn't think to say anything." AAAHHHRRRGGGHHH!!! Seriously? Seriously? Everyone but me knew this was an issue, even the girls on my team, and NO ONE thought to let me, a coach who has no clue what the hell he's doing, know how to fix the problem? WOW!
"So, Price, what was the problem?"
I'm glad you asked that internal dialogue voice! You see in volleyball you want to have as many different hitters on the court at one time as possible. You also need a setter and a passer. Well, in my rotations I have had my setter playing from the back row on half of the rotation, and by switching one of them (I have two setters a front row and a back row) so that she rotated in on the front row instead of the back it opened up a place for another back row hitter/passer and filled in the hole created by the back row setter running into the front position every time. As boring as that sounds (i'm falling asleep as I type it), it made a huge difference in the way that the girls played and hopefully will continue to be a plus in their ability to cover and control the ball. It certainly made for some really good volleyball.
Anyway, that is the big news around my place! Exciting huh!
Sometimes I wonder is the fact that I live vicariously through my students is as depressing as it sounds. I really need to spend less time with teenagers and more time in the company of adults! Haha!
Cheers,
Price
What a Day! It's Tuesday (well technically Wednesday, but I have yet to go to sleep so it's still Tuesday in my mind) and I woke up 40 minutes late for work. This is never a good thing in any job or profession, but as a teacher it is even worse because that means that there is NO ONE to teach the kiddies. Top it off with the fact that I teach in a different town from the one that I live in ( a 20+ minute commute depending on who is driving) and I had a stellar morning that quickly transitioned into a "what the hell" type of day.
Anyway, to make a long story short, I jsut got off work and have been at one job or another since 8:00 am with no breaks other than drive time (which today was spent talking to my ex-wife). Yipee! Hope your day was better than mine. Now I am going to sleep for about 5 hours before I have to do it all over again. UGH!
Cheers,
Price
Anyway, to make a long story short, I jsut got off work and have been at one job or another since 8:00 am with no breaks other than drive time (which today was spent talking to my ex-wife). Yipee! Hope your day was better than mine. Now I am going to sleep for about 5 hours before I have to do it all over again. UGH!
Cheers,
Price
So, I'm back! I know I was missed by one and all ... or at least i would like to hope that I was. It seems that life has again caught up to me and pulled me kicking and screaming into its cold death-like grip. really all this means is that school has started back up and I am once again teaching full time to a bunch of 16-18 year-old-kids.
While this is, in its own right, a good enough reason to question the very purpose behind mans existence (there really are people in this world who should not have procreated), I have opted to punish myself further (because everything else I have done this year warranted so much praise) by taking on the job of coaching the girls JV volleyball team. Now, before you say "that doesn't sound too bad" I must inform you that I have the athletic skill and coordination of a vegetable. And, to top it all off, I have never coached anything more challenging than how to take a nap. (in case you are wondering the steps are pretty simple 1)find a comfortable position to lay down. 2)close your eyes. 3)wait until you wake up refreshed. Odds are you won't know when you actually fell asleep, but I promise at some point you did.)
Coaching has been an interesting experience. Once again, I feel like a perv (and it is completely unintentional and not anything that I or anyone else is doing to cause it) because I am the only male working with 35 girls. There are two other female coaches, but for them its not a big deal. Here is an example of what I have to deal with. If you watch volleyball at all, you will know that their uniforms typically consist of a pair of very short spandex shorts called "spankeys" (I hate that name) and a sleeveless top. While the top poses no problem, the shorts are another issue all together. Basically they are about the same length as a pair of underwear and none of the girls wear anything underneath them to avoid unsightly "lines". This means that I basically get a free show anytime they are stretching or warming up.
Now, I am not one to let snatch go unappreciated, but when it is underage I don't want anything to do with that, and seeing as I was accused of inappropriate relations with a student my first year of teaching (a claim which was unfounded and nearly cost me my job and career), I tend to be very guarded and cautious about these things. Anyway, I was walking to the gym where the girls were practicing and as I approached the doors another teacher walked out and said "this has to be an exciting job for you, getting to watch all these cute young girls stretch and workout!" To which I replied "not really, it actually makes me really uncomfortable."
I'm sure the comment was innocent and not meant to be taken offensively, but I have to admit that I was a little perturbed by what was said. It made me feel even more creepy about the situation and uncomfortable. I'm not sure why (maybe because I am guilty of something that I am repressing unconsciously) but It seems that lately everyone has to remind me that I am too old for most girls but too young for the rest. (Or maybe it is just the area that I am living in.) I had one lady point out to me that though her niece was very cute and very single, she was also "much too young" for me despite the fact that she was 20.
Granted, I am 30 going on 31 in about a month, but I don't think that makes me too old at all! If anything I feel it makes me aged to near perfection.
Oh well, I'll live ... right?
I went to see the movie "Gamer" tonight. I have quite a bit to say about it, but as it is 2:00 in the morning I am going to call this a good post and bid you all good night.
Cheers,
Price
While this is, in its own right, a good enough reason to question the very purpose behind mans existence (there really are people in this world who should not have procreated), I have opted to punish myself further (because everything else I have done this year warranted so much praise) by taking on the job of coaching the girls JV volleyball team. Now, before you say "that doesn't sound too bad" I must inform you that I have the athletic skill and coordination of a vegetable. And, to top it all off, I have never coached anything more challenging than how to take a nap. (in case you are wondering the steps are pretty simple 1)find a comfortable position to lay down. 2)close your eyes. 3)wait until you wake up refreshed. Odds are you won't know when you actually fell asleep, but I promise at some point you did.)
Coaching has been an interesting experience. Once again, I feel like a perv (and it is completely unintentional and not anything that I or anyone else is doing to cause it) because I am the only male working with 35 girls. There are two other female coaches, but for them its not a big deal. Here is an example of what I have to deal with. If you watch volleyball at all, you will know that their uniforms typically consist of a pair of very short spandex shorts called "spankeys" (I hate that name) and a sleeveless top. While the top poses no problem, the shorts are another issue all together. Basically they are about the same length as a pair of underwear and none of the girls wear anything underneath them to avoid unsightly "lines". This means that I basically get a free show anytime they are stretching or warming up.
Now, I am not one to let snatch go unappreciated, but when it is underage I don't want anything to do with that, and seeing as I was accused of inappropriate relations with a student my first year of teaching (a claim which was unfounded and nearly cost me my job and career), I tend to be very guarded and cautious about these things. Anyway, I was walking to the gym where the girls were practicing and as I approached the doors another teacher walked out and said "this has to be an exciting job for you, getting to watch all these cute young girls stretch and workout!" To which I replied "not really, it actually makes me really uncomfortable."
I'm sure the comment was innocent and not meant to be taken offensively, but I have to admit that I was a little perturbed by what was said. It made me feel even more creepy about the situation and uncomfortable. I'm not sure why (maybe because I am guilty of something that I am repressing unconsciously) but It seems that lately everyone has to remind me that I am too old for most girls but too young for the rest. (Or maybe it is just the area that I am living in.) I had one lady point out to me that though her niece was very cute and very single, she was also "much too young" for me despite the fact that she was 20.
Granted, I am 30 going on 31 in about a month, but I don't think that makes me too old at all! If anything I feel it makes me aged to near perfection.
Oh well, I'll live ... right?
I went to see the movie "Gamer" tonight. I have quite a bit to say about it, but as it is 2:00 in the morning I am going to call this a good post and bid you all good night.
Cheers,
Price
Life has actually been fairly good to me as of late. I spent this weekend with my kids, and despite the fact that my son was a little turd for a good portion of the time (he's three what can I expect) it was very very good to see them. Right now I get to spend every other weekend with them, and that is not nearly enough time if you ask me. I have even contemplated taking a lesser paying job where they live so that I can see them more regularly. My ex even suggested that I move up there for the summer next year.
My daughter, who is the most beautiful little girl on earth (if you doubt that statement I have the photographic proof), started crawling about a week ago and, unlike her brother Aiden who started crawling, walked a week later, and has not stopped moving since, little Laila seems to be perfectly content with crawling two or three steps, sitting up, grinning and laughing, and then crawling a few more steps. It was sooo much fun to watch. I laughed and laughed at her sweet antics.
Aiden, on the other hand, has decided that he is going to rename everything in the world with the help of his invisible best friend, monkey. He spent the weekend bringing me random items and telling me that it was no longer a spoon, but was now a "awecnwiounca." His new language is the approximal equivalent of punching the keyboard to spell something. It is hysterical, very cute, and always a little surprising.
Still, i never realize how much I truly miss them until I have to return home after seeing them again. I think that is the worst part about being a separated family (I hate the term broken in relation to divorce. We aren't broken, we are finally fixed). My ex went on her first "date" since the divorce and that was a little difficult to hear about. I knew that it was going to start happening and that it is a good thing, but still, it's a bitter pill to swallow. I don't like the idea that another guy will be raising and disciplining my kids. That is my job ... and now I will have to share it.
...ugh...
In lighter news, Comic Con is finally here and I am SOOOOOOO excited. I leave Thursday morning with my neighbor and his soon to be brother-in-law (his sister-in-law is wicked hot and I would totally chase that is her boy friend were not such a cool guy!). This is going to be a crazy weekend. I am planning on hitting the SG gathering on Saturday night so that should be fun.
Anyway, life is finally good (for a day or two) and I am hoping it will stay that way (for another day of two).
Cheers,
Price
My daughter, who is the most beautiful little girl on earth (if you doubt that statement I have the photographic proof), started crawling about a week ago and, unlike her brother Aiden who started crawling, walked a week later, and has not stopped moving since, little Laila seems to be perfectly content with crawling two or three steps, sitting up, grinning and laughing, and then crawling a few more steps. It was sooo much fun to watch. I laughed and laughed at her sweet antics.
Aiden, on the other hand, has decided that he is going to rename everything in the world with the help of his invisible best friend, monkey. He spent the weekend bringing me random items and telling me that it was no longer a spoon, but was now a "awecnwiounca." His new language is the approximal equivalent of punching the keyboard to spell something. It is hysterical, very cute, and always a little surprising.
Still, i never realize how much I truly miss them until I have to return home after seeing them again. I think that is the worst part about being a separated family (I hate the term broken in relation to divorce. We aren't broken, we are finally fixed). My ex went on her first "date" since the divorce and that was a little difficult to hear about. I knew that it was going to start happening and that it is a good thing, but still, it's a bitter pill to swallow. I don't like the idea that another guy will be raising and disciplining my kids. That is my job ... and now I will have to share it.
...ugh...
In lighter news, Comic Con is finally here and I am SOOOOOOO excited. I leave Thursday morning with my neighbor and his soon to be brother-in-law (his sister-in-law is wicked hot and I would totally chase that is her boy friend were not such a cool guy!). This is going to be a crazy weekend. I am planning on hitting the SG gathering on Saturday night so that should be fun.
Anyway, life is finally good (for a day or two) and I am hoping it will stay that way (for another day of two).
Cheers,
Price
