March 31, 2005
People you never forget
I've thought about posting this before, but it just seems like not enough. I've started this before, so if you're reading it, it means I finally clicked publish.
In college I knew alot of people that I could have done without meeting but only a handful were truly incredible people that I have never forgotten. There was this one guy I can close my eyes and still see him smiling and laughing. His name was Mason Griggs and he was born with a heart defect that caused him to be smaller than everybody else. I mean he weighed like 90 pounds, tops. He couldn't play sports or do a lot of big time physically demanding activity but he'd always be the first one to make you smile or laugh. He could also play the guitar and sing. He played the guitar with it facing up and he could sing...and I mean very well. He had a smooth, soothing voice. I heard him sing a lot of songs, but for some reason there was this one song he'd sing sometimes "Dunk him two times preacher" that I just can't forget. It was about this dirty, smelly fella named Jim that gets baptized and someone in the crowd yells out to "dunk him two times preacher, make Jim a brand new man". There was something else about him though that made him so unforgettable, though, and that was the fact that he never met a stranger. Once Mason knew your name, he didn't forget it. I'd be walking across campus and see him and before I could raise my hand he'd yell out "James!" and walk on over. We'd talk and I was simply overcome with amazement at someone that had every reason to feel "bitter" about the hand "life had dealt him" that simply was not negative. He was always smiling, always laughing and making others laugh. I never heard him say a negative word about anyone and I mean never. Think about people you know, how many of them do you know that have never spoken ill of someone? I knew Mason for 2 years, was around him a fair amount and never once heard him criticize someone else. He would take your hand and shake it, look you in the eye, and just make you feel like a million bucks.
One day I was walking from one of my Criminal Justice classes and he was leaning against the wall in Stubbs Hall(this is at NLU, now ULM, in Monroe) talking to somebody in between classes. We spoke briefly and he mentioned something about eating together later in the week and I then went to my next class. Mason had a heart attack and died about 10 minutes later.
It was so surreal. I had lost my granddaddy a year before and an acquaintance when I was 14 to a firearm accident, but never someone I considered a friend. I wasn't enough of a friend that I knew his family other than casually but I got a call from someone to make sure I knew of the funeral and I of course went. Mason dated only one girl that I knew of and I called her to tell her about his passing. She drove up for the funeral and we went together. Sherry was very upset but we both marvelled how the funeral lacked the wailing you often see at funerals. There was a very different feeling at this service than ones I'd been to before and I realized afterwards it was the first funeral I'd been to of someone that I knew to be a Christian. Oh don't get me wrong, people wept, but not in a "I'm dying" sort of way...it was more of the way you might cry when your best friend moves to Europe and tells you they're not going to be back.
I learned a little better about how to see people from Mason. He always liked you until you gave him a really good reason not to, and then he'd still not talk poorly about you.
Mason was a good example to all around him and he's one that I'll never forget.
Posted by james at 05:35 PM | Comments (0)
Names
Since I work at a doctor's office now, I see all manner of names for children. Two kids came in yesterday with, while not totally unusual, definitely different names. I was actually somewhat impressed. I asked the mother what brought these names on and she said that she loves trucks so she named her kids after trucks.
Their names are Dakota and Dually.
At least they are strong names.
Posted by james at 09:49 AM | Comments (0)
Who said it?(Movie)
"I'm sorry, but she's lost that lovin' feeling"
"No, she hasn't."
"Yes, she has."
"I hate it when she does that"
Posted by james at 07:22 AM | Comments (2)
Car on fire
So, I'm on the way to work this morning and it's foggy, when up ahead on I-10 I see a darker "fog". I see brake lights, so I slow down and there's the source of the darker "fog". It's a Jeep Cherokee on fire on the side of the interstate. As I go by, slowly by this point because everyone is rubbernecking, I yell out the window, "What happened?". The driver yells back, "I dropped a cigarette, now shut the *%#$ up!" Whew, another good reason not to smoke cigarettes...that was a $10,000.00 cigarette there bro.
Posted by james at 07:19 AM | Comments (0)
March 29, 2005
A few things you may not now about me and probably don't care to:
1. I rarely sleep more than 6 hours
2. I exercise at least 3 times a week
3. I really enjoy reading to my kids
4. I like cats, but am allergic to them
5. I love dogs, and am not allergic to them(thus, we have a dog)
6. I don't have a single friend I've known more than 16 years(when you consider the fact that I'm 35, that's kind of sad)
7. I do not possess a "killer instinct"(you know, the one that enables you to go for the throat in a fight or an argument), thus keeping me out of practicing law(probably not a bad thing)- always too soft hearted on that part
8. Given the choice, I'd rather work at something than just sit around(unless I'm allowed to read, then I can sit with the best of them)
9. I'm not a great fisherman, I just enjoy the solitude or just the time with my kids
10. I love the smell of fresh cut grass...LOVE IT
11. I don't believe money buys happiness(but I do believe it can purchase the sort of misery you can enjoy for a little while)
12. I believe it's truly better to give than to receive
13. If I could wish one person to still be living in my family, it would be my granddaddy(my mom's dad)
14. I regret ever leaving the military(and in the next instant, I don't...confused?)
15. I'm named after my grandfathers
16. I met my wife in New Orleans...think about it, isn't that scary?
17. I am not a neat freak
18. I was always the one that was known as the peacemaker growing up(but I'd fight in a heartbeat if I had to)
19. I LOVE SNOW SKIING
20. I love to run
21. I'd rather swim than run
22. I think soccer is the greatest team sport in the world(since Aaron doesn't read this blog anymore, odds are this won't go anywhere)
23. I take really good pictures
24. I can't drink more than 3 or 4 beers over the course of 3 hours(just can't, lose desire to taste it anymore....I've always thought this weird)
25. I think my father is among the finest men on this planet
26. I think my younger brother is a better man than I am
27. I help out around the house(yes, I do dishes)
28. I'm still waiting for a certain friend to take me duck hunting(but he doesn't read this, so I'll probably keep on waiting)
29. My favorite vehicle in the world is the Humvee(the original one, not the H2)
30. If they didn't play on Sundays, I'd be on the PGA tour right now...making money
31. I buy my wife flowers for no reason at all
32. I have seen owls mate(no, think about it...how many people do you know that have seen this?)
33. I played goalkeeper in soccer
34. I think people who litter should have to pick up our roads every Saturday for a month on their first offense, a year on their second
35. I wrote a story when I was very young that was very similar to "IRON EAGLE" and then threw it away, 2 years before the movie came out...hmmmmm
36. I've shot one arrow into the back of another one...yes, like Robin Hood(my old roommate has it and passes it off as his feat...idiot)
37. I prefer running in the morning as opposed to the evening
38. I think everyone should learn to properly handle and own a firearm
39. I worked on Woody Jenkins' Senate campaign in 1996 and saw how Mary Landrieu stole the election
40. I rebuilt the engine in my '69 Chevy Belair
41. I went to NLU to play soccer and got there to find out the team was cut due to budget cuts
42. I never went out for the college golf team because I couldn't stand the guys on the team
43. I wish I could sing better
44. I tried out for American Gladiators when I was 22(damn near made it, too)
45. I think Ronald Reagan is the best President we've had since before the War of Northern Agression(you northerners call it the Civil War)
46. I have an uncle that was a Secret Service Agent...went to D.C. a flaming liberal, came back a right-wing conservative
47. I know people I'd lay down my life for
48. I actually enjoyed reading Shakespeare(I don't understand it all, I just liked it)
49. I played the viola for 3 years
50. I know the words to the song "Alice's Restaurant"
Posted by james at 10:26 PM | Comments (7)
March 27, 2005
Happy Easter
We got up and went to a sunrise service this morning on hte shore of Lake Ponhatrain. Very nice.
We hope you all have a blessed Easter.
Posted by james at 10:03 AM | Comments (0)
March 25, 2005
Army
I don't post alot of things on here that I don't openly talk about. I'm going to post this one because I've thought about it 20 times since it occurred.
This past week, President Bush signed a bill allowing the Army Reserves and National Guard to accept enlistees up to the age of 39. Many of you know that I was in the La Army National Guard for 7 years and know that I loved it. Well, ever since I got out, I wanted back in-full time. I don't really know how to explain to you why, I think some people are more inclined to be one sort of profession than they are another and for me it was always soldiering. I got out in 1993 because I saw that then President Clinton was stripping the military and I didn't want to be a casualty of that. I talked to recruiters over 20 times since then. I've sat down and considered the bonuses, the housing allwances, the fact that you don't have to pay taxes on your food, the base bay, the promotion schedule, and everything else that could be considered. I concluded that we could do it, but I never pulled the trigger and in fact never sat down with my wife and presented it to her(because of the next thing I'm going to say). I don't see soldiering as something a married man should do...it's certainly something he can do, but he gives up alot by doing so in regards to responsibilities to his family. I don't mean this to sound like I think married men shouldn't be in the military, I'm not saying that at all. Soldiers usually don't get married before they enlist, it's typically a few years into their enlistment that they become married and start a family, thus they see their first responsibility to be to their contract to their chosen service. Robert E. Lee is a perfect example of this, he was already a soldier when he met and married his wife and she understood his sense of duty to his country. he was often gone from home for months at a time and he still managed to raise the family he did. I don't pretend to be that good. I've been in, gotten out, and I've never missed a birthday, an anniversary, a soccer game, a family reunion, or some other function that I could expect to miss as a soldier. Then there is the possibility of being shot. I've never been one to lead from the rear. I was always the first one out of the gate(so to speak) and I know that once in battle, men forget those family responsibilities because at the moment there are more "pressing" matters engaging their attention.
I've turned this subject over again and again in my mind and must say it's very frustrating. It's something that I'd love to be able to do, but I must say, I can't do it. Bill Smith once told me "We do what we want to do early in our adult lives but as we get older and gain more responsibilties, we should do what we have to do". Pretty deep, and pretty good advice.
Posted by james at 07:54 AM | Comments (0)
March 24, 2005
Concerts
I've always wanted to go to concerts, I've just never done it up until the past few years. Last year, I took Candice to see Norah Jones(that one will be hard to top) and 3 weeks ago, I called into one of our local country stations 97.3 the Dawg(little plug there for 'em) and won tickets to go and see Brooks and Dunn next month. Well, I figured I'd surpise Candice with these but oh no, a friend of ours called her like 2 minutes later and told her. That's okay, she called me and was very excited to be going. I hear that they put on a really good show...being that we will be on the SECOND ROW, we should be able to properly grade their performance.
Did I mention I had to "sing" to win those tickets? Those sorry suckers played that clip about 1,000 times....embarrassing. The things you have to put up with for free tickets.
Posted by james at 11:11 AM | Comments (1)
Homeschooling
Someone recently asked me why we homeschool our kids. After the explanation, they commented that there was no way parents could teach high school subjects as well as a public high school. I got this article today from Crosswalk.com, they email me newsletters with articles and advice. I got this one today, good answer to the high school argument.
Public Education Isn't Preparing Teens
Michael Smith - HSLDA President
Bill Gates has declared American high schools "obsolete." In a Feb. 26 speech to the National Education Summit on High Schools, he said "our high schools - even when they're working exactly as designed - cannot teach our kids what they need to know today."
These criticisms are not new, but the fact that America's most successful businessman is concerned about how America will survive in a world that requires educated workers should cause people to take notice. Mr. Gates went on to say he was "terrified for our work force of tomorrow."
The problems of high schools are well-documented - low graduation rates, graduates who enter college but require remedial classes, billions spent on retraining by businesses to bring employees up to a basic level of English and math. Consequently, many people have concluded that public high schools are failing in their mission.
However, there is an alternative, as the burgeoning numbers of home-schoolers, 2 million children or 4 percent of the school-age population, attest. Their parents have voted with their feet and left the public system.
Interestingly, many parents intend to home-school only until sixth or seventh grade. It's a strange paradox. Many home-school families plan to stop home-schooling right at the time when there is the greatest need for the one-on-one tutoring and high-quality education home-schooling provides.
Why don't these parents have a vision for home-schooling through high school? The main reason is a concern about the ability of parents to teach high school level classes. At first glance, it's an understandable fear, but it is nonetheless unfounded.
Few parents can teach all subjects at the high school level. In the same way, few public school teachers would be able to teach all subjects. You don't need expertise in every area. Home-school co-ops are a way of pooling educational resources and one of the best ways to advance a home-school education through high school. In addition, there are online resource centers that offer challenging courses to home-school teens, as well as many high-quality correspondence courses.
Another reason some home-school parents consider public high school is the availability of sports programs. Teenagers who have athletic ability are understandably concerned about access to sporting opportunities.
Fortunately, some enterprising home-school families have developed home-school sports leagues. These leagues are growing rapidly and producing high levels of competition. There are two national home-school basketball tournaments, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association recently lessened restrictions on home-schoolers partly because colleges were seeking to recruit home-school athletes.
Mr. Gates has focused on academic achievement, which also should be of concern to home-school families. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation reports that academics are dropping as students go through high school: "By 12th grade, U.S. students are scoring near the bottom of all industrialized nations."
One of the goals of the foundation is to dramatically improve the public school system. The foundation's Web site describes the ideal school this way: "Successful schools combine rigor - high expectations and a meaningful course of study - with relationships - powerful, sustained involvement with caring adults who mentor, advise, and support students throughout their high school careers." This sounds like a typical home-school program.
In addition, the foundation is deeply concerned about the lack of civic participation by the average public school graduate. "In the 1996 and 2000 presidential elections, turnout among 18- to 25-year-olds was below 40 percent. ... [T]oday's young people have the highest score on record on the Political Apathy Index. They are considerably less interested and knowledgeable about public affairs and therefore less able to participate effectively."
This is not the case with the average home-schooler. In a 2004 study by the National Home Education Research Institute, the number of home-schoolers age 18 to 24 who had voted in the past five years was 76 percent.
Parents working closely with their children can tailor their education to meet the children's needs. This is no different in the high school years.
Home-school parents should think carefully about sending their teenagers to public school. If the home-school alternative has worked for your family up to sixth grade, it can be successful in the all-important high school years, too.
Posted by james at 10:12 AM | Comments (0)
March 19, 2005
Who said it?
"I need me a toddler Hi."
Posted by james at 09:13 PM | Comments (3)
The RV show
My son Stephen, loves RV's. They are the thing that he has been crazy about ever since he was about 5. We've taken him to one of the RV dealerships here in Lafayette(Steven's RVs, believe it or not) about 3 or 4 times in the last year. Today, there was an RV show at Cajun Field. Wall to Wall RVs. Big ones, little ones, RVs you drive, RVs you pull, RVs....everywhere! This was only 4 days after his surgery so we rented a wheelchair and pushed him all over looking at these homes away from home. He had a ball...he? We all had a ball. We need one. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't need the one that cost $570,000.00...that was a little much(would you believe it only slept 2 people) but I could easily do with one that costs(new) between 10K and 30K. There are alot of amenities to be had at the 30K level that just make the 10K one bow it's head, but if all you really want it for is sleeping in, just buy the less expensive one. Stephen doesn't have a preference, just so long as we get the one with the bunkbeds and a tv. Seriously, these things are a far cry from the old pop-up campers my aunt and uncle had when I was little(would you believe one of those is between 3.5K and 10K? The only argument supporting owning one for Candice and I is that we could tow it with the Astro. The ones I like the most are the 5th wheel trailers. I think they are the coolest. Would you believe they have real showers and bathtubs in these things? Washers and dryers, too...if you want them. Storage galore and refrigerators big enough to keep a case of beer in along with the food to feed 4(soon to be 5) hungry kids.
We won't be making such a purchase anytime soon and when we do it will likely be a used one that we buy and we will do so with cash. It sure is fun to dream though. The look on my son's face when we tell him we will be able to do this sort of thing in the next 2 to 3 years was priceless, too.
Of course, I have to get my wife a decent used van with A/C before that. The one we bought from Bill and Ruth has become "Daddy's Van" because it doesn't have working A/C and the car isn't well set up to haul 4 kids and a newborn. If anyone knows of or hears of a deal on a good used van, drop me a line.
Posted by james at 09:11 PM | Comments (1)
March 17, 2005
Look out Vboy
I got online earlier to try and find the exact release date of the next Harry Potter book....whoops, quick rabbit trail about what got me thinking about that...Stephen just had surgery and has been doing nothing besides reading since his surgery...he finished "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" on Wednesday and started on "Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix" on Wednesday night....he finished it today...so, back to the search for the release date. I went to J K Rowling's website and Stephen asked if he could negotiate it. Negotiate away, said I, and he did. The kid got sorted into Gryffindor, ended up with a 13" wand, made Seeker of the Quidditch team and has his own owl. So, just in case Voldemort is feeling a little frisky...better watch out for this Stephen laddie...he will have you in stitches from his jokes thus lowering your defenses and then will turn your nasty self into something that can only use it's magic for good...talk about a living hell for Voldemort...good thinking Stephen.
Posted by james at 10:39 PM | Comments (0)
LPB
Honestly, why can't they have these great concerts during the rest of the year...like when they aren't asking for money? My family and I really enjoy watching LPB...the British humor(excellent), the nature shows, but the concerts during their "Give us money week" are the best! We just saw "Celtic Woman"...wow, what voices...we actually considered sending $$$ in to buy the dvd. Then the Irish Tenors. Very strong. And the dancers...my wife wants to dance like that(me, I just want to be able to dance without getting off beat). We couldn't watch CSI because of the basketball games and once we heard those women singing the evening was set.
So, LPB, if you're reading this...cancel the dry news shows with the monotoned guys and girls and bring us more of these concerts...I will send you money for that!
Posted by james at 10:21 PM | Comments (1)
March 16, 2005
Kids
I had a discussion with a former boss once about those things we desire after and those things that we can say go on and on after those things we desire after are gone. I mean the kids as opposed to the house, cars, art...y'know, nice things. Well, the kids are the only things in a person's life that goes on to, well, carry on your name. My boss and I were amazed that we will work so hard for these things that pass away, and make excuses as to why we aren't spending time with our children. Over the past year, I've foundthat I've stopped doing a lot of the extracurricular activities that would take that time from the kids. Now, my wife can tell you, I'm at work, mowing yards, or home with the kids or out with the kids. The boys and I go fishing alot, we build fires around the lake alot, and we read to each other alot. Memories that we are making that they can pass on to their kids. You know who taught me to do this? My parents. Here's the point: how much better would many families homelives be if they just quit trying to do everything and spent more time together? How many psychiatrists and drug abuse counselours would be out of work? Let's give it a shot.
Posted by james at 07:43 PM | Comments (0)
What movie is it?
"And there you go."
Posted by james at 06:56 PM | Comments (0)
Here we go again
Well, I'm back...not that I think ye olde Pitch and Green was that missed. There have been alot of changes in the months since I last posted. Here's what's new:
1) I've changed jobs. Well, not exactly changed, my position was "eliminated" at City Of Faith. Yep. I walked in one morning and the big boss asked me to walk outside with her and she proceeded to tell me that they had decided to make the Lafayette halfway house an "all Federal House", thus eliminating the need for a state case manager(since there will no longer be state inmates). I was giving the option of taking a demotion to resident security or go find another job. I opted for the latter and now I'm managing a doctor's office. I'm still doing my lawn care as well, and it's coming along nicely.
2) We are expecting our fifth child. We found out last month so we'll be having #5 in October. WAHOOOOO! 5 kids....wow.
3) Our church is buying a building. An actual church building and our pastor, Stan, has purchased the house next door to the church. Yes, it's your fixer-upper right now. It was a daycare for the past 30 years and so will need some remodeling to get it back to looking like a church again...well, at least the sanctuary will. We may open the daycare back up as a ministry of the church, not sure yet.
4) We've been reading all of the Harry Potter books. I must say, they are very enjoyable. We've just finished The Goblet of Fire and are starting Order Of The Phoenix today. The boys absolutely devour these books. I'm very impressed at how engaging the boys are in talking about them. They are starting to pick out symbolism in books and in movies. I never thought like that until I was out of college.
Posted by james at 06:55 PM | Comments (5)