Ho Ho Hum

Christmas went pretty well. The weather was crappy and we had a bunch of snow. We were pretty much snowed in at home the 25th and 26th.

It has turned from snowy to feezing. At least the sun is shining.

Not much going on but I have a few projects to get done at work before next Monday.

Jess got a laptop and Drew got a LCD HD TV. It kind of looks funny with all the letters there.

I think I have a mouse in the garage. I will get a trap this week.

Off to start.

It's Official

Well the weather is ok today but we are bracing for the snow storm that is headed our way. Ugh!

Jess made it official last night. She committed to Iowa State University. She is a cyclone! The official signing day is in February but it is good to have that decision made.

Today is the last day of school for 2009. It has actually gone by very fast. The years become a blur these days. The kids will all be in good humor today.

Drew is going to be 15 in a few days. It is hard to believe. It seems like yesterday they were starting kindergarten and in a year, Drew will be driving a car.

Not much else to talk about. Work is the same. I need to spend some time cleaning my office and getting things organized. I have kind of let desk and work space area get cluttered with papers and files; most of which can be thrown away or shredded. Time to clean house.

Ok, off to start.

Are you kidding me?

Well we are going to get a bunch of snow this week. I hope the bad weather is done before we head to Lincoln. I would be very dissapointed if we get snowed in.

It was an interesting weekend. On Tuesday Jess scored 28 points in the basketball game against Winterset. Friday she scored 44 points against Adel. No, I am not joking 44 freaking points in one game. A little Micheal Jordan. Then on Saturday she scored 25 against Jefferson. A pretty good three game streak.

Her 44 is a new school record. She now has 10 or 11 school records across three different sports.

Drew went sledding with some friends yesterday. He was gone for about 4 hours and came back wet and cold. He said he had a good time though.

Two days of school this week and then we are on Christmas break. Wooo-Hoo! Both kids are pretty excited about Christmas.

We have some news on the recruiting process but I will post it either tomorrow or Wednesday. I think Jess has made her decision. Stay tuned for the big announcement!

Off to start.

Still waiting but getting closer

Finally Friday and it is still cold. I think we are going to have our warmest day of the week though. Today we have a high of 30. Woo-Hooo!!

Drew's team lost last night but he played a good game. He had a bunch of rebounds, played good defense and scored 8 points. It was a game they should have won but the guards gave it away in the last quarter. They are still looking for their first win.

Jess plays tonight and tomorrow. Both the ISU and UNI coaches called her last night. We are going to get the offer from ISU on Sunday. He said she would be pleasantly suprised by the offer so I guess we will have to wait and see.

The UNI coach told her he didn't want to lose her over money so even though the offer they gave her was great for an incoming freshman, if we had concerns he wouldn't lose her over a few thousand dollars and would make it work.

So it seemed to be pretty good news on both fronts so we will get the offer from ISU and then have to decide where she goes.

Not much else going on. I submitted final grades for my class yesterday so I am officially done teaching for the semester.....Woo-Hoo!

Ok, off to start.

Is Prozac an appropriate Christmas gift?

Still cold as can be. I think the temp right now it -5 but once it hits zero, it is just dang cold.

Jess had a game in Winterset last night. They won and she scored a career high 28 points. It was actually pretty amazing because she only had 1 point after the first quarter. She is averaging 18 points a game and leading the conference in scoring.

Drew has had practice in the morning this weeks so he has been up at 5:30 and at the gym by 6. He has mixed emotions about it. He hates getting up and going early but he is happy at the end of the school day when he doesn't have practice.

Middle of the week with no plans for tonight. Jess has National Honor Society tonight. They are announcing the new members and she is welcoming them in. I think she is at the table that they sign as a member.

A bit more drama at school. The contracts are a bit fuzzy with the union seniority so I am now unsure which one of my tech support people will be cut. I worked with the superintendent yesterday and I think it will have to be determined by our attorney. So I wait to see who is the one getting cut.

I also had a teacher in yesterday and she was worried about her job and wanted to know if we knew anything. The whole district is on pins and needles now. Merry Christmas right?

Ok, off to start.

Wind and snow with a bit of ice...blah!

Well, we had a layer of ice and a couple inches of snow yesterday. The wind was blowing and it was a bit of a mess. We started off with a two hour late start but it turned into a school cancellation.

The weekend was fine. I went shopping on Saturday and finished my Christmas list. Drew had a game and so did Jess. They were staggered enough that we could go to both. Drew scored 7 and Jess scored 14. Drew's team lost and Jess' team won.

The Iowa State track coach came to Jess basketball game. We talked about scheduling the home visit so we could get the scholarship offer. I told him I want to do it before Christmas if possible.

Jess has a game tonight at Winterset.

Christmas is coming up quickly and I really am looking forward to it.

Not much else going on.

Off to start.

Snow place like home.

I can't remember the last time I experienced a true blizzard but the last couple of days have been the real deal.

We have around 16 inches of snow but wind with gusts up to 50 mph has created drifts 10 feet tall and it was literally impossible to get out with a car yesterday.

Nancy and I walked to work and it was an adventure. We actually came home early because we weren't sure we would be able to get through the drifts.

Last night after the wind died down, I use the snow blower to get the driveway and sidewalks cleared. I also blew a path to the school so it should be an easy walk over this morning.

School was canceled yesterday and today. I wonder if we will even have it tomorrow. There is a lot to get cleaned up.

The kids are just hanging out at home, there isn't much else they can do.

I will take some pictures today and get them posted.

Off to start.

Can Molly and Emma pull a dog sled?

We have a big snow storm on the way. It looks like 8-12 inches of snow with winds up to 45 mph. I think there is a strong possibility that we will get out of school early today and probably not have school tomorrow.

Drew had a marathon of basketball games at the end of the week last week. They played Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning. He was pretty beat up and tired Saturday afternoon. The other tough part of it was three of those games were away and two of the away games were over an hour away.

He played well. Not much scoring but plays good defense and does a good job getting the ball to the open player.

Jess went to the University of Northern Iowa last weekend. The visit went really well. She was really impressed with the facilities and the team. She really liked the coach and felt comfortable with the thought of going there. They offered her a 75% scholarship and if she runs 56.6 this year it would be 100%. That is big money so we will have to see what Iowa State offers.'

I hope the decision is made by Christmas.

Work has been a little busy this week but with the anticipated snow days coming up, I am guessing it will slow down considerably.

Ok, off to start.

Cold as can be

Friday is a wonderful day. It is going to be cold as can be but I don't even care.

Drew played well in his game last night. He played pretty god defense and got some rebounds. The team lost by 5 but it was a good game.

Jess is headed to the University of Northern Iowa today for an official visit for track. She will be there today and tomorrow morning.

The basketball team has moved practice tomorrow to the afternoon so she can be there.

I have been shopping online for Christmas gifts. I am doing pretty well right now. I have gotten a lot done so I am a bit ahead of the game.

Going to put the Christmas tree up tomorrow. My back was out last weekend so I couldn't put it up then. Drew will help.

Not much else. Still budget worries at school but that is just becoming part of the daily stress.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone at Christmas.

Poop

The weather is taking a turn for the worse. It is going to be cold today and by the end of the week it will be very cold. Highs in the 20's.

Drew's team lost last night but he scored 6 points and played well. Jess' team won and she scored 18. Jess leads the conference in points per game right now. She is averaging 19 points a game.

My back is feeling better. I am not 100% yet but I am a heck of a lot better than I had been the last few days.

I teach tonight in Des Moines. I only have two more sessions this term. Tonight we are doing a little test prep. Next week is the final.

I am up this morning at 4:30. Not a big fan of this time of the morning but had some stomach problems and can't lay in bed. Augh..life.

Ok, off to start.

Have you seen the new Barbie...C'mon!

I think the weather is going to be good again today. In the mid 50's so that is good.

Drew has a basketball game in Atlantic. It is a long trip for them.

Jess plays Boone here in Perry tonight. The first home game of the year.

My back is slowly getting better. I was able to sleep through the night last night with only three or four painful moments.

Class went well last night and we are winding down the semester. I already have 8 people signed up for Monday and 9 signed up for Wednesday next term.

The budget cut gloom is still looming over the district. Our Superintendent is keeping pretty tight lipped about the big plans but the staff is getting restless. The break over Thanksgiving gave us a little boost but I think the gloom and uneasiness is starting to come back.

I think the longer she waits to make the plans known, the more people complain about her.

Today is the day that anyone wanting to take the early retirement option can file paperwork with the district to do it. It will be interesting to see how many people take advantage of this. It may be one of the things she is waiting for before making the projected cuts public.

It is amazing to me that it is only a few weeks before Christmas. Time sure flies. Speaking of which, I need to get.

Off to start.

It seems like a blur

The weather is going to be nice again today so it is a good way to start a Monday.

Thanksgiving was pretty good. I hurt my back messing around with the dogs and can barely get around. I have been laid up for about three days now. It will be interesting to see how the day goes. I hope I don't have to go anywhere.

Jess had a few games last week. They won one and lost two. She scored 20, 19 and 17 in the games. Unfortunately, she is the only one that can consistently score. The other problem is the other girls are throwing up bad shots to try to score and it kills the team. If they don't right the ship, it will be a long season.

Drew has his first game on Tuesday. I look forward to watching him play.

Jess went to Nancy's house yesterday for their annual baking day. They made all kinds of good things and I just love everything. All kinds of chocolates, cookies, fudge, rice crispy bars, carmel corn, chex mix. It is awesome!

I am not sure what is on the agenda for the week. I really don't feel much like getting back to work but it is probably best to get back into a routine. I have had a lot of trouble sleeping with my back hurting so much.

Off to start.

I had a dream last night that a turkey was eating ME!

Finally Friday. Weather is ok. Cloudy and cool.

Drew has basketball practices in the morning so I walk him over and let him in the back door of the school. Of course we have to take the two pups with us so it is like a little caravan over and back to the school.

It is really hard to see Emma in the dark. She is all black and little so she is dang near invisible at night. I need to get her a glow in the dark collar.

Jess has a basketball tournament tonight and tomorrow night in Saydel. I am not sure if the team is going to be any good this year. They really only have Jess and the rest are shaky. I guess we will wait and see.

The lady who normally keeps the official book for the basketball games can't make it tonight or tomorrow so I am keeping the book. I really don't want to do it but I would have felt like an ass when she came to my office and asked if I would do it.

The industrial tech teacher at the middle school told me yesterday that he was losing his job at the end of the year. The principal told him they were going to cut the program. This is the first of many stories to come over the next 6 months. It is sad. He has worked for the district a long time. It is a result of our governor feeling that education is just another government program that can be cut before any of his pet projects.

Thanksgiving next week and I look forward to having a few days off to just eat and watch football. Two of my favorite things.

Not much else on my mind today so I better get ready to start my day.

Out!

and the band played on

A typical Monday. Weather is marginal and so is my attitude.

Drew starts official basketball practice this week and Jess has a game on Tuesday.

We found out yesterday that Jess was selected 1st team All-State for volleyball. It is a big deal especially since her team wasn't very good. Only 6 girls in the state for our class were selected and she was one of them. Pretty good honor for her.

We had a budget meeting on Friday and it was rather vague. I am not sure if there is a bit of indifferent or what but it seems like no decisions are being made. Anyway, it looks like we will make it through this year without cutting positions but the hatchet will fall for next year.

The office is still kind of quiet with all the budget cut talk. We have seen an increase in technology purchases from categorical funding. Which basically means, funds that cannot be used for salaries and are required to be spent by a certain day. We keep seeing more technology being purchase and at the same time we are losing a staff member to help support technology.

Ok, off to start my day.

Flatline life

Finally Friday. The weather is still nice and going to continue for awhile.

I have a meeting this morning and we are talking about the staff cuts and the rest of the big budget mess. I know it will be depressing but at least I hope we are moving forward with things. Right now the district is kind of cracking up with gossip and back talking. Something needs to be decided and communicated with staff.

Jess has a scrimmage tomorrow in Ankeny so the basketball season is starting. Drew will have his first practice on Monday.

Since the weather is going to be pretty good this weekend I think I am going to clean the gutters and put up Christmas lights. I am not sure how many nice days there will be between now and Christmas so I should take advantage of it while I can. I won't turn them on until after Thanksgiving though.

Things have been rather quiet around here lately. Nothing much of note really going on.

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

Off to start.

Still hanging

The weather has been holding out pretty well. Still nice and pretty warm. In the 60's and I think it is going to be that way the rest of the week.

Jess started basketball practice this week and Drew has open gym. The boys don't start practice until next week.

The mood at work is still tense. I think the support staff is really nervous and beginning to fight with each other. It is on the verge of turning ugly and in some areas it is already that way. It would be good if better information was given to everyone but we are yet to hear it.

Class seems to be going well. It is nearing the end of the term. I have to teach 4 more nights on Wednesday and 4 more on Monday. It is getting close to the end. Although I am kind of glad when the term ends, I do kind of feel a bit of sadness that I won't see those students again. I have met a lot of people over the years through teaching and have had all kinds. It is sad as they leave for the last time.

Veterans day today. We have a big assembly and luncheon for the veterans and I think we have 120 that have already RSVP'd. It is a pretty big deal here.

Not much else on the agenda today. Mainly just holding down the fort and waiting for the hammer to fall on the budget. We can't spend any money so things are slowing down. The end of the trimester is the 18th so report cards and all of the reports we have to do will keep us busy.

It is amazing to me that we are almost to Thanksgiving and Christmas is just around the corner. I am dreading the snow coming.

Ok, off to start

You would think education would be a priority

Finally Friday. The weather is really nice. I think in the upper 60's. Nice all weekend too.

The budget situation at work seems to be getting worse by the day. It looks like we will have to cut almost 2 million dollars between this year and next. I really have no idea what is going to happen but it is going to be a big mess.

Right now there is not one person that is happy at work. The tone is quiet and scary. Half of the people are worried about losing their jobs and the other half are worried about what it will be like after everyone is cut and how bad is it going to be for the people left. Pretty bad times but at the end of the day, the world keeps on spinning.

Not really much going on other than the budget stuff. Jess starts basketball practice on Monday and Drew will start the week after that. We are trying to get an official visit in to the university of northern Iowa but it is conflicting with basketball games. We will get something worked out in the next couple of weeks.

The ISU coach emailed Jess and is looking at a time to come and do the home visit and offer the scholarship. I really think she is going to take that offer and go to ISU. She really liked it and it is Division 1. She would also get to go to places like California, Florida, Texas, and Arizona and run so the experience would be good.

She told me yesterday that her new goal is to go to the Olympics or at least get a shot at the Olympic trials. It is a good goal, I hope she does it. I honestly think she can if she really sets her mind to it. How awesome would that be?

Drew is getting big, have I mentioned that he wears a size 12 shoe now? Dang!

Ok, off to start.

I prefer a fork

Weather is good and going to be nice all weekend.

Class went well last night. Nothing of note but the students really seem to be enjoying class. A few of them asked if I taught anything else at DMACC because they would take another class I taught.

We had local elections and a Perry High School senior, Colton Morman, won the mayoral election of a little town called Dawson. He got 21 votes to claim the seat. He was interviewed by the press yesterday at school. He is a good kid and will probably do a pretty good job. It wouldn't surprise me to see him on the national news.

Jess went to the Iowa State volleyball match last night. They beat number 2 ranked Texas. She said it was fun but made her sad to know she is done playing.

Drew had a TSA dinner Tuesday night. It was nice. We saw his 3-D model he is making so that was kind of cool.

Trash day and not much else.

Off to start.

Put your pencils away

Tuesday and the weather is good. It is going to be nice all week and through the weekend.

Class went well last night. The students did their team projects and they all did a pretty good job.

We are in between seasons right now so there really aren't any activities to talk about. Jess has her first basketball game in two weeks and Drew will follow the week after.

Looking forward to Thanksgiving. It is going to be a good break.

This weekend the kids are doing an FCA lock-in. It is a group thing where they play games and watch movies. Kind of like an after-prom party without the prom.

Drew is really enjoying FCA. I am glad he is involved in it. It has been a good experience for both kids.

Work is the same. Nothing new to speak of right now. We are waiting for the Superintendent to make the call on the cuts and tell us when we are going to lose people. Everyone is still laying low to avoid the spotlight.

Not much else. The drum beat of life continue.

Off to start

It isn't my birthday but I feel older today

Finally Friday. Woo-hoo!

It has been rainy all week but I think today will be dry but really windy. I want to burn leaves this weekend but it sounds like it might be too windy on Saturday to do it. Sunday may be my only chance.

Work has been the same. Really quiet around the district.

Both kids have started open gym time for basketball. They play pick-up games and shoot.

Jess is getting calls every night from college coaches. From the smallest to some division 1 schools. She probably gets 3 or 4 a night. It is to the point where she doesn't want to answer the phone.

The UNI coach wants her to come out the weekend of November 16th. The K-State coach wants her to come out but told her she needs to really be considering going there for them to spend the money to bring our out. I am not sure if we will make that trip.

No real plans for the weekend but it will be good to do a little yard work. I enjoy the leaf burning weekend and I video tape it so we have record of the fun. The kids are always complaining and carrying on so it is fun to watch the videos of that.

OK, off to start.

I think we need a bigger boat

Weather is ok today. Mostly cloudy but upper 50's so I guess I can't complain.

Not much on the agenda for today. I have to teach class tonight and I have a bunch of stuff that I need to take care of at work but nothing more than the usual.

It is kind of quiet and uneasy at the school lately. I think everyone is kind of shaky with all the budget cut news. Word is starting to spread a little about all the positions that are targeted for cuts. It kind of reminds me of the rapids before a waterfall. The water is getting choppy and it is only going to get worse from here.

Eventually we will go over the waterfall, take the plunge, struggle to the surface and then the water will calm.

The kids enjoyed not having practice last night. It was a good break for both of them. We made homemade pizza and Micky came over and ate with us.

Drew had a TSA work night so he was gone for a couple hours. He really enjoys that.

Not much else. Mid week and we need to get over the hump.

Off to start.

End of a great run

Well, we lost our the regional game last night so Jess is done with volleyball. She was sad of course but she played really well. They lost the first game but really had it won but let it slip away. They won the second game and lost the next two.

Jess did her best to keep the team in it but we just have one really bad player and a couple others are marginal so we just don't stack up and Jess can't do it all.

On the bright side, they have a better record than any other team in Perry school history. Jess ends the season with a bunch of school records, kills per game, kills in a season, blocks per game, blocks per season and a couple others.

I guess it was best to end it on the home court. Jess has had a terrific high school run with volleyball and she had definitely left her mark.

She is going to take a few days off before starting up basketball practice.

Drew is enjoying his time between seasons but open gym for basketball starts for him tonight.

I am going to try to enjoy the free evenings because once basketball starts, we will be back to having events every night.

The mood at school is bad, everyone is kind of down with all the cuts. It is very quiet and a bit strange. I think it will be a rough rest of the year. A bunch of people are going to lose their jobs and it just sucks.

I feel a bit sad that I won't get to watch Jess play volleyball again. I have really enjoyed the high school years with her and each season is going to be tough for me to see pass by. I am not sure how I am going to hold up when she heads off to college.

Ok, off to start.

Jess Action Shot

 

I hope our ship can handle the rough seas ahead

Finally Friday. Rainy again but at least it isn't snow. This weather sucks and I think it is going to continue to suck through the next week.

The volleyball team won both matches last night. They beat Boone in three straight and they beat Indianola in two straight. One of the girls on the Indianola team is a friend of Jess' and she played on her club volleyball team last year.

I met with the Superintendent yesterday and she told me I had to cut a position in my department. UGH!

I met with both of my paras and told them one of them is going to be cut. I am not sure which one right now because it is a union deal and there is two scenarios that can play out and it will just depend on how the contract is interpreted to know who will be cut. I have no say in the decision.

Nancy will be gone this morning to a doctors appointment so I will be handling thing alone for awhile.

It is good to get to the weekend. I am worn down from the stress of budget cuts and having to cut a position and then just the normal work load. I feel like laying on the couch the whole weekend and just zoning out. Sometimes your mind needs a break.

Ok, off to start.

Tough to burn wet leaves

Rainy and chilly and it looks to be that way through Friday.

Both kids were home sick yesterday. They don't have the H1N1 stuff but had headaches, sore throats and upset stomachs. I think they day at home sleeping helped. They should be back in action today.

Class went well last night. They are working on a team project so they were busy beavers doing research and getting ready for the presentation due next week.

I meet with the Superintendent this morning to discuss budget cuts and how it relates to my department. I am not really looking forward to that but you do what you have to.

Tonight Jess has two volleyball matches. We go to Boone to play Boone and Indianola. We play back to back matches so it should at least be as quick as possible.

Not much else going on. It is busy here and it seems like I am rarely home but it will eventually calm down.

Off to start.

Thank God for modern medicine

Weather is good. Upper 60's I think. Rain after today.

It was senior night last night and a time for recognition of the senior volleyball players. I held up well and so did Jess. She cried a little but not as bad as it could have been.

The team won in 4 games but it wasn't pretty. I guess no body looks back and remembers how good you looked, it is just about wins and loses. This was a win so we will take it.

Drew is under the weather. He has a little fever and a headache and an upset stomach. Not sure if it is the flu but he will probably stay home today and rest.

With the volleyball match last night, I have tonight free. Wooo-hooo!

Drew has his last football game on Friday. It is a home game against Jefferson. I hope his is feeling better by then.

The volleyball team plays Thursday in Boone. That is the last regular season game of the year. Next Monday we play at home against DCG in the first round of regionals.

Off to start.

The word keeps on spinnin

The weather is a bit better today. I think it is supposed to be in the 60's and mostly sunny.

The weekend was ok. Jess had a good time on her visit to Iowa State. She had a hotel room to herself and her host athelete (another girl on the track team) took her around and hung out with her. They went to the football game and she said the whole thing was a good experience.

We had breakfast with the coach on Sunday morning and he said he would setup a home visit with us and give Jess the scholarship offer. We would have a few weeks to decide.

Drew went to the football game as well. He went with the FCA group. They had a state wide FCA deal before the game and then everyone got to watch the game. He said it was a lot of fun.

My birthday was pretty good. I got a DirecTv receiver for the front living room and Nancy bought me a down comforter for my bed. (Which is AWESOME!!)

Tonight is Senior night for the volleyball team. It is Jess' last home game as a senior. She only has a few matches left and her volleyball career is done. It is a bit sad and I am sure she will cry. I will miss watching her play.

We got a new puppy. Another Yorkiepoo. Her name is Emma and she is a cutie. All puppies are cute. Anyway, she is a little bigger than Mylee but a sweetie. I will get some pictures up soon.

Ok, another day to face.

Off to start.

I don't have a weight problem, I have a height problem

Still crappy weather.

Jess got a call from the University of Northern Iowa last night. They want her to run track and play volleyball. It is a D1 school so she is going to schedule a visit.

She also talked to the University of Minnesota. No scholarship available the first year so they are off the table.

Class went well last night. They took a test and it seemed to go well.

We had over 100 kids home with the flu from the middle school yesterday. The H1N1 flu is really spreading through the district. I have the kids on vitamin C and regular vitamins.

So it is my birthday. I really don't have any plans. Jess has a volleyball match at Carslisle. I hate that town for two reasons. For one, I am really not sure how to spell it and am just too damn lazy to look it up. Towns that are so hard to spell that you have to look it, suck to begin with. The second reason is that it is a pain in the ass to drive to. It is on the other side of Des Moines, on the South East side, which is the exact opposite of Perry.

I also hate their gym so strike three.

Anyway, my birthday begins with crappy weather, a trip to Carl#!%$!? and it is trash day.

Well at least I am still alive.

Off to start

Break out the vitamin C - Flu season is here!

More crappy weather. Cold-rainy. Last night we had sleet. It looks like it will finally warm up a bit this weekend but still in the mid 50's or low 60's.

Volleyball tournament went well last night. The girls won the tournament and Jess dominated. I have only seen her play that way a few times but it was pretty awesome. The other teams could not stop her from killing the ball and she was a blocking machine. It was a very good performance.

As they announced the team members and gave them their medals, they skipped Jess in the normal order and announced her last since she had such a good night. The crowd erupted when they announced her name.

I have a doctors appointment this morning and am not supposed to have anything to eat or drink for 12 hours prior. Not having coffee this morning is killing me.

Tonight I teach but I am giving them two tests and that is all I have planned so it should be a pretty easy night. Tomorrow of to Carlisle for a volleyball match.

K-State wants a volleyball video of Jess so we are sending that today.

We have had a bunch of cases of H1N1 at the school. We are over 10% absent rate this week. One of the kids Jess hung out with this weekend has it. I hope the kids don't get it and I sure as heck don't want it.

Off to start.

Disgruntled

Weather sucks! It is cold and wet and has been this way for awhile. It looks like maybe this weekend it will warm up a bit.

The governor of the state of Iowa has declared a 10% across the board cut. To our district we will have to cut almost $900,000 out of this years budget. It is going to be bad.

Class went well last night but I had a killer headache and it was tough to get through. Tonight Jess has a volleyball tournament here in Perry. Tomorrow night I teach, Thursday volleyball away.

Friday I take Jess up to Iowa State for her official visit. She will spend the rest of the weekend with the track team and going to the Iowa State football game. I will pick her back up on Sunday.

Friday night, Drew has a football game in Saydel. He only has two games left and this is the last away game.

Two weeks left of volleyball and we are done with it forever. I think Jess will be sad when it is over but she hasn't really said much about it yet.

Homecoming last Friday went well. Both kids went to the dance and I think had a good time. We had a fireworks show at half time of the game and it was pretty cool. The booster club and senior class paid for the show.

I had insomnia last night and have been up since 3. Whatever!

Off to start.

Rain - Cold - Ick

More rain and cold weather. It looks to be a trend for the next week or so. ugh!

Class went well last night. I find the drive home after class, kind of relaxing. It is quiet and the sky has the stars and the moon. If it wasn't late and the middle of the week, I think I would enjoy it a little more.

I don't have any meetings the rest of the week. We have to get the state report ready to go but we should have that done today. (Hopefully).

Homecoming week is a busy one for the kids so they are preoccupied with the activities of thew day. Tonight is the bon-fire pep rally. Jess has a sore throat. I hope she doesn't get sick.

Drew's back is still sore but he practiced yesterday so that was good.

Huskers play on TV tonight. I may go over to Nancy's to watch the game. They have a high def reciever and get ESPN in high def so she invited me over to watch the game.

Ok, trash day, the little girls will need me to get my trash out.

Off to start.

From mediocre to poor

When the warmest day of the week has a high of 65, we are in for a cold week. Today it will be mostly sunny and a bit warmer. The rest of the week will be cold with a high of 45 on Saturday or Sunday. (I kind of miss having the fireplace)

The volleyball match was bad. The girls lost in three straight and we played terrible. Jess didn't have a good night either. I am not sure what the deal was. We did have a couple coaches from South East Minnesota State come to the match to watch Jess.

They have a scholarship offer for her but want to look at film, come to another match and have Jess take a visit. They are a D2 school and ranked 13th in the nation. They seemed nice but I am not sure if Jess is interested. They just kind of came out of the blue and wanted to talk to us last night after the game.

It is homecoming week and today is volunteer day. The high school students are put in groups and spend the whole day doing community service stuff. It is a good thing and I think the kids like it.

Oh, Jess broke two school records last week. She has the most kills in a game with 12 and most Ace serves in a game with 6. She is on pace to break about 5 or 6 more school records but we will see how the rest of the season goes.

Drew had a girl ask him to homecoming yesterday and he turned her down. I asked him what the deal was and he said that girl thinks she is better then everyone and is stuck up. Whatever!

off to start

Is it Friday yet?

Cold rain..repeat.

Jess was not homecoming queen. She looked really nice at the announcement ceremony and it was nice. The girl that won is one of those girls that lives for stuff like that. Her mom works in the office and lives and dies for cheerleading and homecoming and prom. They kind of remind me of that mother and daughter in the Jonny Depp version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This will be the high point of her and her mother's life.

Jess really wasn't dissapointed. I don't think she cared so much but does not like the girl that one.

Drew's team lost their football game last night. He came home very stiff and sore. He hurt his back a little during a tackle. I put an Icy-Hot patch on his back and gave him some Ibuprofen and told him to be prepared to be stiff and sore today.

Class went well last night. It was short so everyone could go to the coronation.

Tonight we have a volleyball match here in Perry against Winterset. It is breast cancer awareness so the girls will wear pink jersey and they play with a pink and white ball. The fans are encouraged to wear pink and they have a cancer survivor speak before the match.

Not much else.

off to start

I think Monday is giving me the finger!

Weather back to sucking. Wet and cold.

The weekend went fast. Friday night the boys got beat 49-6. The Freshman game got moved to tonight because of the wet conditions. Drew will play at DCG at 6:30.

The volleyball team didn't do that well in the tournament. They ended up 5th out of 8 teams. They struggle when Jess is in the back row. They just don't have an offense when she isn't hitting.

This week is homecoming week. A full week of activities. Today is Cape day (The theme is Friday is meant for Heroes).

Jess was selected for the top 5 for homecoming. They will announce the King and Queen tonight. She has a good chance of winning but if she doesn't, I don't think she will care. Her boyfriend is also a King candidate.

Both Jess and Drew will be at the homecoming dance this year. It is kind of weird having both of them in high school.

Work is the same.

Off to start.

It isn't how you start but how you finish that matters

Rainy cold and generally unpleasant. I think it is going to be very chilly for the foreseeable future.

The volleyball team lost last night 3-2. It was a tough loss, they came out strong and won the first two games with little trouble. The third game the lost 27-25 and then the last two we fell apart and got pounded.

Jess played well but they need someone else to step up when she is in the back row. We can't block or effectively kill when she isn't in the front row. We have potential but I just don't think we have enough talent to consistently compete with the good teams. Jess can't do it alone.

On the bright side she has 211 kills on the season. Her kill efficiency is 45% and she is averaging 4.8 kills a game. Her serve percentage is .998 and she has 34 solo blocks this year.

We found out Drew is severely constipated (I know, nice to put on a blog for the world to see...Sorry Drew). The xray showed it and they are putting him on a stool softener so hopefully this will fix his stomach problems.

He has a game tonight here in Perry. It should be crappy weather.

Tomorrow we have a volleyball tournament in Des Moines. It starts at 8:30 and ends around 4. I will have to take my radio so I can listen to the football games. The huskers have a bye so I won't miss them.

Next week is homecoming week.

Ok, off to start.

Can I make it through a day without someone ticking me off?

The weather is rainy and cold. It is going to stay this way through tomorrow. I guess I really can't complain since the weather was so nice for so long. You know what? I can complain anyway....I hate rainy weather!

The volleyball match on Tuesday was a bust. We got hammered in three and although the scores ended up close, Carroll never had to worry bout losing. We played poorly and just weren't up to the challenge.

Last night class went pretty well. One of the ladies in my class, she is in her 60's or 70's, got a little testy at the end of the night. One of the other students was talking to me and she flipped out and said "It is very hard to concentrate with people talking!". Whoa! They were just doing in class work so it wasn't like a test or anything. I think she is just grouchy to begin with and struggling to keep up. It kind of irritated me but whatever.

As I was driving home from class I was treated to a kick ass lightning show. To the north the lightning was just cracking across the sky and it was happening a lot. It was very cool to see.

Drew has been sick. He has a stomach issue. We took him to the doctor yesterday. He has a real bad upset stomach but other than that feels ok. He says it is better when he lays down. They took xrays and need a stool sample (gross). It is probably acid relux but they need to check the other things first. He supposed to take Pepsid twice a day for awhile. He hasn't eaten much in the last couple of days.

Tonight Jess has a volleyball match here in Perry verses Dallas Center Grimes. They are undefeated in the conference but we beat them early in the season at a tournament. I guess it will depend on which Perry team shows up tonight.

Trash day - the ladies are going to get wet.

off to start

I still miss Mylee

Cool weather but sunny so I guess it is ok.

Class went well last night. It was test night so they just came in, took the test and were done.

Drew had a football game last night and caught a pass for a first down. They lost 42-21 but he had a catch and played well.

Jess had under-classmen awards last night. She received the Student of the Year in Weight Lifting and Conditioning, was selected for Kawainis Key and got her Academic and Athletic letters.

Tonight we are off to Carroll for a volleyball match. Carroll is ranked so it should be a good match. I think we can win but they will have to set Jess a lot. If not, we will get beat.

Not much else. Off to start.

Sometimes I ramble

A bit wet today and the temps are going to be cool this week. All highs are below 70 for the next 7 days.

It will be a pretty busy week this week. Today, I teach class, Jess has underclass awards (plus she has to come and take a test in my class when she is done with the awards thing) and Drew has a football game at Ballard.

Tomorrow Jess has a volleyball match at Carroll. Wednesday I teach, Thursday volleyball here in Perry, Friday football here in Perry, and Saturday a volleyball tournament in Des Moines.

Work has been busy and it is going to be busy again this week. I haven't scheduled any meetings because I don't think I will have any time for them.

Last night I watched two movies while grading papers. Borat (Sucked, don't watch it), and Wanted (Angelina Jolee) pretty good, probably 3 out of 5 stars on the Rich-ter Scale.

Ok, off to start.

Skipping rocks on a pond

The weather is rainy today and then sunny later in the day. Kind of fitting.

Yesterday was a bit rough. Everyone was sad over Mylee's death. I had to do the unpleasant business of calling the vet and talking with them about what to do with Mylee. They are going to cremate her and put her ashes in a little urn that we will get.

I had to talk to the people we bought Mylee from. They are working with the breeder to see if we can get another puppy. He said the breeder's vet will call my vet to make certain of the cause of death.

It is hard to deal with the "business" end of an emotional loss. Anyway, it is all addressed and we will see what happens. Our vet says there is a 6 week incubation period for that parasite to infest a dog's digestive system. We only had her for 2 1/2 weeks so it had to have happened at the breeder.

Drew has a football game at Ballard(Huxley) tonight. Tomorrow we have to go to a wedding for Dawn's cousin.

I am glad it is Friday.

Off to start.

TRAGEDY!

Yesterday morning Mylee was under the weather. She wouldn't eat and just seem a bit lethargic. I took her into work with me and about 9:00 she just wasn't right so I called the vet and they set an appointment at 1:30.

Around 12 she really started getting out of it. Her eyes wouldn't focus and she started to get limp when the small seizures started. Nancy and I rushed to the vet, she had a big seizure in the car and went unconscious. By the time the vet arrived to look at her she was in bad shape.

He worked on her and found out she had a stomach parasite and that was everywhere in her stool so it was really bad. He treated her and told me he would call and let me know.

Last night at 8:05, I got the call. She had died. She was 13 weeks old.

I was in the middle of teaching class and that was pretty rough but I made it through. It is a very sad time and even though she was only with us for a few weeks she was very dear to all of us.

Molly kept looking for her last night. She kept walking around the house smelling and kept looking in her pen. She laid and slept outside her pen.

I am at a bit of a loss. Shelby was very hard and Mylee brings back many of the feelings of that day. The kids are very sad but will be fine. Time tends to heal.

I am not sure what I want to do. Part of me just doesn't want another dog. I just can't go through this loss again. It is too hard. The other part of me knows how much joy a dog brings to everyone in the house and maybe it would be good to just get another one and get that joy back.

Right now I am just sad.

Blah

Weather is going to be wet and cool. Not too bad though.

Last night the girls won in three games. It was a very easy win and Jess broke her own school record for kills in a game. I think her old record was 8 and she had 9 in the second game last night.

I am not sure how many kills she had total on the night. I know she was perfect serving again and she served a bunch. I think on the season she is 120/121. She has only missed one serve all year.

I teach tonight and have tomorrow night free....woo-hoo.

Today is going to be kind of icky. I have to move a bunch of computers to our alternative school and do some work in that building. Not too terrible hard but probably a bit dirty. I will have to dress accordingly. The problem is I can't dress too shabby because I have to go to Des Moines and teach. I can't look like a mess when I do that.

Not much else so.....off to start.

For christ sake, snap out of it already!

The weather is rainy but the temps are still good. I guess the dry wonderful weather we have had for the last few weeks has run its course. Hey, I'm not complaining. It was a great run of wonderful weather and if it was like this all the time, people would be flocking to Iowa instead of California. (Well, we don't have a beach but went don't have as many nuts either)

Class went well last night. This class is a good group and we really fly through the material. It is kind of like teaching an honors class. I really should rethink the material and make sure I have enough content.

Tonight Jess has a volleyball match in Saydel. We should win pretty easily but you never know.

Thursday is an open night. No activities. It will be a chance for me to watch tv for a change.

The huskers really ticked me off this weekend. Losing to Virginia Tech is one thing but losing in the manner in which we lost it like pulling my heart of my chest and throwing it on the floor.

Friday Drew has a game at Ballard (Huxley). It may be another rough night but we only have two away games left and this is one of them.

I have to go to a wedding this weekend. It is in Indianola, which is about an hour away. It should be ok, but I am not big on such things. I am not sure why I don't like stuff like that but it just isn't my cup of tea. To be honest, I would rather sit on the couch and watch tv.

Work is the same.

I was listening to the radio yesterday and ran across a guy who talked about life. It was funny but true. In a nutshell he said,"Life sucks and the sooner you come to the realization that Life sucks, it becomes easier to deal with." He also talked about how the media and press makes it seem like everyone in the world is happy and having a ball but you. When really, like sucks for most people. Get over it and move on.

It was funny but it really rings true.

Ok, off to start.

There is always one, isn't there

Weather keeps on rolling. It is wonderful!

Class went well last night. I gave them their first test and I thought I had given them plenty of time to get it done and actually worried about class getting out too early. Well, there is always one isn't there. One student stayed until 10:00 on the nose to get the test done.

Overall, the class went well and I think they all did pretty well. We did a review before the test so they really don't have an excuse to not do well.

Most of the students were gone by 8:45. I had one stay until 9:45 and the one stay until ten. I guess I really don't care if they take the whole time it is just a long night and it is about a 40 minute drive home after so it makes it extra long.

Drew was sick again yesterday. He made it through the day but just felt like crap so he talked to the coaches and went home before practice. When I got home last night, he said he was feeling better.

Jess went to an Iowa State volleyball match last night. It was a team-unity event and she said it was fun. She has a match tonight here in Perry vs Des Moines North. We should win but I guess we will see.

Jess is ranked #1 in the state, for 3A in Kills and Serve percent. She also has the best kill percentage in the state for all classes. She is right over 50%. I think it is .504

Trash day so the ladies will be out. I better get my stuff to the curb so they don't have to walk very far in their high heels.

Off to start.

I used to love watching TV at night

Weather is still good and it looks like it will stay nice until Monday. We are supposed to get rain and storms then. We probably need the rain.

Drew came home sick yesterday. I think he has bad cold. Sore throat, upset stomach and he was really tired. I think he needed to rest and seemed a little better last night.

The volleyball team won their match last night. They beat Ballard in three straight sets. Jess played really well. I am not sure how many kills she had but it was a bunch. The only bright side Ballard had was in the third game, someone finally blocked one of Jess' kills. Their stands jumped up and cheered. It was funny.

The head coach for Ballard is our Superintendent's daughter. I am sure she had mixed emotions sitting in the stands.

Our little puppy Mylee, is sick. I think she has a intestinal virus. Her sister had it and I think they got it from the place we bought the puppy. I need to get her to the vet so she can get on antibiotics. Her sister is much better so I am hoping we get her well too.

Tonight, I teach in Des Moines. They take their first test tonight, I hope they do well.

Tomorrow, Jess has a volleyball match here in Perry. Friday, off to Carroll to watch Drew play football.

Off to start my day

Nose to the grindstone

Monday is behind me and that is a good thing. The weather is still going strong. I feel like the other shoe has to be waiting to fall. I can't remember a time that we have had so many consecutive nice days. We will probably pay for it this winter.

Class went well last night. We got out early so that was good. Since we formatted the lab, everything ran much better.

Both kids had their annual physical yesterday. They got the flu shot. Well, Drew got the shot, Jess got the one they spray up your nose. Drew couldn't get that one because he has asthma.

Tonight we go to Ballard to play volleyball. We should win pretty easy. Ballard isn't very good.

We are puppy sitting Gene and Marsha's dog for a couple of days. It is Mylee's sister. They play and play and fight and wrestle and carry on. It is very funny to watch but it is also very time consuming. Having to watch one puppy is tough, two is a full time job. You never know what they are into or what they are going to be chewing on next.

Jess said having the dogs in the house reminds her of Grandma Nichols' house. lol

Ok, off to start.

Monday - Ugh!

Monday and the weather is still nice. I am not sure what the deal is but I am not complaining.

Busy day today at work and I teach class tonight.

The weekend was ok. The boys got beat by Boone in football but it was very close. We were on the 1 yard line with 2 seconds left and it was fourth down. We got stuffed at the one and the game ended with Boone winning by 7.

This week will be another busy one. I teach tonight. Tomorrow, Jess has a volleyball match at Ballard (Huxley). Wednesday I teach. Thursday, volleyball here and Friday, Drew has football in Carrol.

I think the weather is going to be nice the whole week so that is good.

We are puppy sitting Mylee's sister, Sidney. We have two little puppies running around. It is pretty cute.

Ok, off to start.

It really something to see

More fog and I think a little warmer with a bit of humidity. Still better that what we would normally expect this time of year.

Jess had a volleyball tournament last night. They won the tournament and played well most of the matches. They didn't drop a game until the championship match. They should have swept the other team in two but we just played poorly and it went to a third game. We won that one, hands down.

Jess played well and if they keep setting her, we will do well. If they don't we will lose. It really is as simple as that. I wish you guys could see he play, it really is pretty cool. She is getting to be as head and shoulders above the girls on other teams as she is in track.

The Iowa State track coach came to the volleyball match last night. He sat up in the stands with me and we talked and watched the first few matches. It was nice of him to come and he re-emphasized that he really wants her to run at Iowa State. He is a very nice guy. It also looks like he is bringing in some good talent to move up in the Big 12 rankings. She takes her official visit the weekend of October 16th.

Drew is still having pain in his knee. He said it really bothered him yesterday. He has a game tonight so we will see how it holds up.

Work is still really busy but we keep moving forward.

It is the weekend of the Iowa/Iowa State football game. Everyone is wearing their team colors today and the big game is tomorrow. Drew is going up to take tickets and check bags at the game. They get free admission when they are done so he thought it would be a way to get to see some of the game. There are a bunch of kids and a teacher from Perry going up to work the game.

Looking forward to the weekend. Time is really going fast these days.

Off to start.

Life in the...actually, I am not sure what lane I am in

I think the weather is going to be good. Low 80's and partly cloudy.

Last night I earned my money teaching. It was a lot of material, and it was challenging for the students. One of the students stayed after and was frustrated that he wasn't picking it up like the rest of class. He said he had a learning disability and gets violent when he gets frustrated. (Whoa..slow down big fella)

I think I made him feel better and there wasn't any violence so all is well. I did stay until 10:00 though and by the time I got home it was a late night.

Tonight Jess has a volleyball tournament here in Perry. I am not sure what teams are going to be here but it should be fun.

The K-State track coach called last night and want Jess to come for a visit. I haven't talked to her much about it yet but we will probably go take a look.

We got word from Nebraska they want her to be part of the team but as a walk-on. Whatever, we have Big 10 and Big 12 schools offering scholarships and Nebraska wants her to walk on and pay out of state tuition. Whatever.

Drew plays Friday night here in Perry. I am part of the "Chain Gang" for the Freshman games so I will have one of the best seats in the house.

Trash day so the ladies will be out and about.

It is good to have my classes done for the week. I need to take a little 5 hour energy and get through the day without nodding off.

Ok, off to start.

If you can't trust the president to talk to our kids, maybe it is time for you to look for another country to live in.

Mid week already and we just started...Woo-hooo!

The weather has been cool but a little humid. Not too bad at all I guess for September.

The elementary school had a water main break yesterday and they let them go home at 10:30. They also canceled classes in that building for today as well. I think they had to do bacteria testing on the water to make sure it was safe after the repair and it takes 24 hours for the result. The high school and middle school students are jealous.

Jess had a volleyball match against Adel last night. They won in 5 games. This is the first time in a long time that we have beaten Adel and it was a very good match. Jess played absolutely awesome in the last two games. It was really fun to watch.

I teach class tonight. Tomorrow the girls have a volleyball tournament in Perry and Friday Drew has his first home football game.

His knee was bothering him last night so he stayed home from the volleyball match. He needs to take care of it a little better. Ice and ibuprofen are necessary but he doesn't do it like he should.

Work is busy like usual. It is good to have the short week.

School board elections were yesterday and the incumbents won. I guess it really doesn't matter.

Ok, off to start.

Waiting for the other shoe to fall

The weather is still wonderful. I haven't had that much of a chance to enjoy it but this weekend is supposed to be nice as well so I will make sure I spend some time outside.

Class went really well last night. It was really, really hot in the classroom. I think the thermostat said 82. Everyone in the room was fanning themselves and I was dying.

Even though the temp was bad, the class went well. I had everyone's attention and everyone was engaged in the classroom discussion. Most times, I have one or two people ask questions or contribute to a discussion point. Last night, I think everyone participated.

For all the things that could have made last night hell - Everyone tired from a long days work prior to class, hot as can be in the room, 4 hours of class, and some of the material is a bit dry - it went very well. I am happy with that class.

So I went to Casey's General Store yesterday for lunch and my gas gauge said full, which was weird because I hadn't filled it up in awhile. I just assumed that Dawn had filled it up when she used my car the other day.

As I headed to Des Moines for class, the gauge was less than a quarter tank...What the hell!!!

I filled it up and it indeed needed gas. I will have to pay attention. If the gauge is wrong, I could end up on the side of the road somewhere. Not good!

Jess has a volleyball tournament in Adel tonight. Her coach said she needed a picture of her yesterday for an All-State team. I am not sure what that is all about and Jess has no idea but maybe they have a pre-season All-State team? Anyway, time will let us know what that is all about.

She also got a call from the Iowa State track coach. He is coming to her volleyball match here in Perry on Tuesday. He also said he wanted to talk to her after the match.

Drew is still having heel problems so if he isn't any better after the three day weekend, we will have to get him into a specialist.

Today, my department is working in the computer lab to format the computers and get it working. Nancy started the process last night and she should easily get done today.

I have to go to the admin center for bit but should be able to help.

I think I am going to get the pay-per-view of the huskers this weekend. I like to watch the first game of the season.

Ok, trash day so I better get my stuff to the curb for the ladies to pick up. I wonder what color of sun dress they will be wearing today.

Off to start.

What was Microsoft thinking?

The weather is still very nice. Sunny and cool. I think the high is going to be 75 today. It really is nice to sit outside in the evenings.

Drew is still having trouble with his heel. He came home from practice last night and was limping pretty bad. I had him ice it and he needs to remember to take Aleve twice a day like the doctor told him to. He forgot in the morning.

I think the wrap is helping but it is still painful when he has to do a lot of running.

Work is hectic right now. We have some problems with our Vista computers and are going to have to format and bring back down to WindowsXP. The service pack 2 for Vista made the computers run like crap and they are all but unusable right now. All hands on deck in the department and I think it is going to take about a week.

Tonight I teach at DMACC. I have everything set and hope it goes well. I saw on my class list that I had a student add since the first night. I hate it when students add late because they miss so much. Missing just one class when it lasts four hours is a lot of time to miss.

This week is a busy one and there is so much to do. I tend to get tied up with meetings and trainings and other "non-tech" stuff. This puts a heavy burden on Nancy to get things done and she is busy enough as is. Getting the computers done will really help relieve the pressure.

Tomorrow Jess has her first official volleyball tournament of the season. It starts at 4:30 in Adel and goes until 9:30ish. Friday Drew has a football game in Norwalk.

I think the weather is going to be good this weekend and I am looking forward to the little break.

I hope everything is going well back in the Husker state.

Off to start.

Made it through

It is another cool day today. The sun is shining and the temp is in the 70's.

Class went well last night. It is a pretty good group but I do have one student that is going to struggle. She had trouble just logging. It will be interesting with her.

The rest of the class is pretty good. I think the material will be pretty easy for them but I think they will learn quite a bit as well.

Drew played in his game last night. They won 32-0 and he had a sack and caused a fumble and did a good job. His heel held up pretty well. I think the wrap is helping.

Little Mylee is a handful. She runs around and eats anything she can find. I think she must have a little shark in her because a normal dog wouldn't find some of the stuff she chews on tempting.

Nothing on the agenda today. The weeks are going to get busy so I need to appreciate tonight. Tomorrow I teach, Thursday Jess has a volleyball tournament in Adel and Friday, Drew plays in Norwalk.

I look forward to Saturday because it is the first weekend of college football.

Ok, off to start

It feels like late October

Monday and the weather has been very cool lately. As a matter of fact, I wore a sweatshirt yesterday in the house. It was a bit chilly.

We bought a new puppy this weekend. She is a little Yorkie-Poodle mix. Cute as a button. There is a picture to the right.

Molly has taken it pretty well. Last night they were playing together. The little pup would jump up and bite Molly's beard and then run away. It was very funny.

We named her Miley. She is a little stinker. Runs around, jumps and hops and is fearless.

The high school boys won their first football game on Friday, 28-0. The girls had a volleyball scrimmage and they did really well. Jess is really hitting well and I would not want to be on the other side when she gets a good set.

Work has been busy but bearable. My class on Wednesday went well. I have my Monday class tonight. Did I mention Jess was taking it? There are 14 people in this section. It should be a treat.

I think it will be a little strange teaching with her in the classroom. She better do well!

Drew went to the doctor to get his foot looked at and they think he has a pulled tendon. They have him in an ankle brace for a couple weeks but he can practice. The freshman boys have a game tonight. I teach so I will miss but he isn't playing anyway because he missed practice.

Not much else going on. Keeping busy and with a little puppy it gets even more so.

Ok, off to start.

A fork in the road in the middle of a parking lot

Not even sure of the weather today. The satellite is acting up and I really don't care enough to fix it this morning.

I have to do my last presentation for the staff today. It is a support staff group who really won't use any of the things I am talking about but they wanted me to do the presentation for them for "fairness". Whatever.

The days are going fast. It seems like I have a bunch of things in the hopper and need to setup a calendar to keep things straight of when I want them finished. Sometimes stress comes from not being organized. Once I lay it out and get things ordered, it will be a bit better.

Drew has freshman orientation today at 1:00. Jess is one of the student body representatives at the orientation so they will go together. It is hard to believe that I have two in high school.

So last night I went to the store and saw a lady who works at the school and her husband coming out of the store. For some reason, the husband must hate me. I am not really sure why but every time I say hello to him, he just turns his head and snubs me.

I don't really know the guy and I haven't had any issues with his wife, she is always nice as can be. The guy is just an ass. So anyway, I was in a grumpy mood but I said hello to him and her. He again, snubbed me and she said a cheery hello. I actually stopped in the parking lot and began to turn around and follow him to ask him what his problem was.

Instead, I took a breath and let it go. I went into the store and did my business. I still can't figure out what the hell the guys problem is. I don't know him and I know he knows who I am. It is like the third time he has done that. He acts like I killed his dog or something. Life is too short to deal with people like.

I start teaching again on Wednesday. The head of the computer department of DMACC wants us to do a pre-test in our classes that is online. It is kind of a pain in the butt to setup and I only have a day so I will take a look and try to get it figured out before tomorrow.

I have a full class for Wednesday. There are no more seats available. Monday I have 9 students.

Ok, off to start and see what the day brings. I will fill my Tums bottle and take it with me.

Busy but productive....TGIF

I made it to Friday and it has been quite a ride.

The weather is going to be rainy off and on but cool. The weekend is supposed to be really nice. Sunny and cool.

Jess has scheduled an official visit to Iowa State for track. We are going up Friday night the 16th of October. She is staying Friday night and Saturday night with the team. They are going to a football game on Saturday and she will be hanging out with the team the whole weekend and we will pick her up on Sunday.

She is pretty excited. The volleyball coaches also want to meet with her so it should be a big weekend for her.

Drew hurt his heal Thursday and it seems to be the same thing that Jessica had her Freshman year. It is when they grow a bunch quickly the bone in the foot separates a bit and causes pain in the heal. It will go away sometime this year but I remember her fighting it most of her freshman year. She hasn't had problems with it since.

Work has been going pretty good but a bit of drama in the department. I might have one of my techs looking for another job. It is a long story but whatever.

No plans for the weekend. I need to go into work for a bit on Sunday but Saturday I am going to just hang out and maybe do some yard work. I also need to clean the garage and work on the scooter so it may be the perfect weather for that kind of thing.

Ok, the day awaits. Who knows what it will bring. Can't wait to find out!

Off to start.

It is going to sound like a chicken farm

I think it is going to be rainy on and off today.

The teachers start back up today and I am anticipating it to be a long rest of the week. The phone will be ringing like crazy and people will be getting on my last nerve.

Last night I went to the DMACC adjunct orientation session. It was pretty good. I hated to drive all the way down there but it turned out to be ok. I am glad I went because I was able to get my books for my classes.

I need to start working on lesson plans and get my syllabus updated and ready to go. A week from today I start teaching again. I am kind of looking forward to it.

Did I mention that Jess is taking my class on Monday night? It will kind of weird having her in my class. Usually I talk about her and Drew a little during some of my lectures. I guess I will have to cut that part out.

A busy day ahead so I better get started.

Off to start.

We all live in our own personal "wild"

It has been rainy most of the weekend but it stopped long enough for us to play in the golf tournament on Saturday.

Jess and I played and we did the usual, not very good. We did have some good holes and others that were not so good. The best thing of the day was our attitude. We really didn't get upset about how we played. It was the last time for us to play so I wanted to just enjoy the time with her. I am going to miss her when she goes off to college.

Drew went to the state fair and he said he had a good time. He went down with friend. They spent most of their time on the rides. He did get a foot long corn dog and a smoothy, which he threw up later going on spinny rides.

I told him, he really got his money worth because he got to taste it twice. He said it wasn't very good the second time. He cracks me up.

Yesterday, I worked until two. Jess and Dawn went to Des Moines and had lunch with some of the club volleyball team girls and their moms. Drew hung out with one of his friends.

When I got home I watched a show called "Black Gold". It is kind of a reality show about roughneck crews working on oil rigs. They had a whole season marathon so I watched them all. Well most of them anyway. I am a sucker for marathon reality shows. They get a hook in me and I just can't stop.

The kids came home and asked what I was watching. When I told them it was a marathon, they just shook their heads and said "Dad!".

The teaching staff start back up on Wednesday so I have a couple days of freedom left. Most have been back already but they don't officially start until Wednesday. Summer is almost over. The good news is football season will be underway shortly. It makes things a bit more bearable.

I watched a movie this weekend called "Into the Wild". I read the book but wanted to see the movie. It is about a guy who graduates from college and then just goes off and drifts. He takes no money and tears up all of his identity. He just lives in the wild and then eventually goes to Alaska.

The story is pretty good but it gives you a fresh look at what freedom really is. Not something I would want to do but how he lived was truly free.

Ok, enough rambling for today. Off to start.

Sometimes you have to just shake your head and say "What the hell?"

Friday....whew!

Weather is the same.

We got quite a bit of work done yesterday so we are hoping to get a good handle on things today.

Jess and I play in a father-child golf tournament tomorrow. We play in it every year but this is the last time for her. It will be Drew from now on. It is once again a last time. This year is going to be full of them. I am going to be sad as the seasons end and it is the last time to see her play all the sports.

Drew is almost done with 2-a-days. I am sure he is going to be glad. I don't think it has been too bad for him but mostly just a bunch of conditioning. I don't think they have had a lot of hitting yet.

So yesterday I took the scooter to the school so I could pick up the title for Jess' car. The damn thing died on me at the school and would not start. I had to push it back home. What the hell! It seems that it will run great for weeks at a time and then just die and not want to run. I need to get it looked at.

The tenants haven't paid their rent yet. They told me they would pay today. It is just such a sucky position to be in. The market is still crap so I can't sell it. The tenants suck but I hate to kick them out. I am not sure if I could get a renter right away.

They are supposed to pay a late fee when the rent is late. They have yet to pay it on any of the months they have been late. They have only paid on-time once in over a year so they owe well over $600. I doubt I will ever see it.

I am kind of in the mood for BLT's for lunch today. Nancy if you are reading this....how does that sound today?

Ok, life is moving along so I better get in motion or I will be left behind.

Off to start

You know how I feel about trash day

More hot humid weather today.

Jess had her senior pictures taken yesterday. The weather was good so they did some outside shots. She had pictures in the morning and then they went back down last night to get outside pictures at the river and by a railroad car. They should be available to look at online early next week.

Drew is suffering through 2-a-days. It is hot and humid so they are working hard. Today they have the first day of full pads. He will really be suffering now.

Not much on the agenda today. I have a conference call this morning and will spend the rest of the day working on computers and office work. Not too bad of a gig. Lots of work but all of it inside in an air conditioned room with a soda always a reach away.

Molly gets her hair cut today so she should be beautiful when I get home tonight.

The full staff comes back next Wednesday so I need to enjoy the next few days of modest peace.

Ok, off to start.

How many balls can I juggle and what happens if one falls?

Middle of the week and the weather is still pretty good.

Yesterday went well. The new teachers are young, they tend to seem younger every year, but that makes things easier for me. The younger teachers have used all the technology we have before so it is an easy transition for them.

We have a bunch of computers to run up and get going but that shouldn't be too bad. The big problem we have is once the new staff return, they need things. They can't print, or can't logon or whatever. We just don't have the time or manpower right now to handle those little things. It makes things rough.

Today we will go to my favorite building...NOT..the elementary and do a little work over there. Then it is off to the lab to work on 50 or so computers. whoo-hoo!

Jess has senior pictures today. Drew is still doing the 2-a-day thing. He is grouchy after the first practice but not too bad after the second. I remember the thought of getting done with one and knowing you had to go back later in the day and do it again. 2-a-days suck!

One of the girls on the volleyball team got busted for drinking. She is suspended for 2 weeks. She was one of the setters so it isn't good.

So I was looking at my class list for DMACC today and I have 10 students in my Wednesday night class. As I was looking through the list I saw a familiar name. UGH! One of the students that I failed last semester is back. I hate it when that happens. She rarely came and was not that solid to begin with.

There are several technology instructors and I kind of wish, if you fail one, then you go to another one for the next try. I guess it is either a compliment that she came back to my class even though I failed her or my class was the only one that she could work into her schedule. I hope she does well this term. I absolutely hate to fail students.

I had a dream last night that I forgot about class and it was 5:30 on the 26th (My first day of class) and I was sitting at home in my shorts and t-shirt watching the tv. The news came on and said it was August 26th. I freaked, looked at the clock got changed and was heading out the door. Of course I couldn't find my shoes and was in a panic. I woke up and was very glad it was a dream.

Ok, enough rambling for the day. I feel a bit chatty.

Off to start.

I love a sunny day

It looks like the weather is going to be nice the rest of the week. Sunny and in the upper 80's. Humidity sucks but at least it is sunny.

Yesterday went well. I got all of my meetings done and everything went well. Today I have the new teaching staff for technology training. It shouldn't be that big of a deal.

The kids started 2-a-days yesterday. They weren't grouchy last night so it must have gone well. I really didn't get a chance to talk to them much because of the school board meeting, I didn't get home until around 8. Jess was just walking out the door so I barely saw her.

Drew and I watched TV for a little while and he headed off to bed.

It won't be long and school will be in session. I almost look forward to that. The two weeks prior to school starting are about the worst for the tech department. We have a lot of work to do and then everyone starts coming back with their needs. It tends to be a little hectic until school starts.

Once school starts, everyone is preoccupied with the kids so we get a brief break.

The State Fair starts today but I don't plan on attending.

OK, off to start.

Maybe 7 hours of TV yesterday - Haven't done that in awhile

The weather was stormy yesterday but it will be hot and humid today.

The weekend went fast. Everyone was a the lake so it was a quiet weekend for me. I worked both Saturday and Sunday but did get a bunch of stuff taken care of.

It is going to be a busy start to the week. Today I have a training session on a new computer based learning system for our alternative school, a meeting with the Superintendent at 2 and then I have to go to the school board meeting tonight. I have a policy that needs approval and I have to go over it with them.

Yesterday after I got done working I came home and watched TV the rest of the day. I watched a movie called 7 pounds. It had Will Smith in it and it was very, very sad. I recommend it because it is a good movie but dang, I don't like being sad.

I had heard that "Harper's Island" was good. It was a TV show that is only one season. I streamed it from Netflix and watched the entire season. Well, almost the entire season. I think I have one more episode, the final one of course, to watch. It got late and I just didn't want to stay up and watch it last night. I can watch it today or tonight or tomorrow. It is great to be able to stream shows online.

I hook my computer up to the TV and stream the shows. It is like watching regular TV but it is "on-demand". I can watch almost anything. I love it!

Both kids start 2-a-days today. Drew has his first football practice this morning at 8 and I think Jess has her's in the early afternoon.

New teachers are back today. I have them tomorrow for training.

Ok, I am not sure what I am going to wear today so I better get going and get it figured out!

Time sure moves fast

The end of the weekend and the weather is going to get hotter and hotter. I think it will be a good day to stay inside and watch some movies or get a little work done inside.

Jess has a volleyball tournament today in North Polk. It is an all day deal. They play practice matches this morning and then the tournament this afternoon.

Drew is camping and having a good time. He said he was fishing yesterday and tubing in the afternoon. He loves having a campfire by the lake. Drew is an outside type of person. He could be outside every minute of the day and be happy about it.

Jess, Micky and Dawn are headed down there tonight after the volleyball stuff gets done.

Both kids have official practice on Monday. The seasons begin again.

I have work to do of course. Will spend much of the weekend running up computers and getting ready for Monday. We have the new teachers back Monday and Tuesday. I have them on Tuesday morning for training.

Ok, off to start.

I with they had a keg at these kind of things

I have an all day meeting today. I'm not to thrilled about it either. We have to go to Des Moines and sit in mini training sessions to learn about the ins and outs of state reporting. woo-hoo!

Drew caught a fish yesterday and is having a good time. He went "tubing" and said it was really fun.

Jess took the day and relaxed. She was really sore from the volleyball tournament and will be back at it today and tomorrow so it was a good day to rest. She has a three hour practice today and they have to run a timed mile.

Tomorrow she plays in a volleyball tournament at North Polk.

Work has been constant and that is kind of good. We are keeping busy but much of the work is routine work and gets boring. Running up and configuring a computers isn't too bad until you do it 50 times in a row.

No plans for the weekend. A little work and some relaxation. I think it is going to be really hot and humid so I will try to be outside as little as possible.

Ok, time to take the trash out so the princesses can pick it up.

There are highs and then there are "feels like" temps..ugh

The weather is starting to behave more like summer. Hot and humid. It is going to be uncomfortable for the rest of the week.

Registration went well yesterday. It was a long day and started off a little rough. I scheduled 5 people to work the payment stations and two of them didn't show. They claim the didn't know but I talked to them about it at the end of the school year. I think they just forgot.

It worked out. I worked one of the payment stations and that made 4 people so we were good to go.

I am glad it is over and think it will probably be the last district registration. Next year they will go back to doing it in the buildings.

Jess is still at her volleyball camp. I think they had a match at 9:45 last night. I will try to get ahold of her today to see how things are going.

Drew is headed out to Missouri today to go camping with Gene and Marsha.

I have some specific things I want to get done at work today so I am guessing the day will go fast.

I better get ready.

Off to start.

Hopefully the last registration

It was a stormy night. We got some rain, not sure how much, and a bunch of thunder and lightning.

Drew was out on the river camping out with a couple of friends. One of the parents went out and got them when we found out the weather was going to be bad. Their bikes are still out there so I am hoping the made it through.

Jess left for a volleyball camp yesterday. They were going to the coaches house on a lake first. She has a house on lake Panorama and they were tubing and riding jet ski's. I texted Jess and she said she was having a blast. The camp is at Simpson, today and tomorrow.

It is registration day at the school. Nancy and I worked all weekend to get setup for it. It really is a lot of work. The hours are from 3 - 7 tonight so it will be a long day. I am not looking forward to it.

We are hoping to get enough people pre-register that we don't need to have a formal registration day anymore. I think this could be the last year for it.

Tomorrow Drew leaves for the week with Gene and Marsha to go camping in Missouri. They are going to a lake and Gene bought a new boat. Drew can't wait to go and they were planning on leaving on Wednesday but when they found out how excited Drew was, they moved it up a day and leave tomorrow.

Jess and Dawn will be heading down there Friday night. They all will come back on Sunday because Monday the official season starts for football and volleyball. Two a days...woo-hoo.

The one really good thing about this weekend was we had fresh tomatoes from the garden. We ate cheeseburgers for lunch with fresh tomato both days. It was something to look forward to.

It looks like a busy week ahead. The new teachers start in a week and then the ball really starts rolling. Back to wearing long pants. The care-free days of summer are almost behind us.

Ok, off to start. Wish me luck!

More pics

It is Friday and the weather is still going to be cool.

Yesterday, Jess and Drew watched the Iben kids. They came over to the office in the morning and we let them play with the computer boxes. They built a castle. We had ordered pizza and had lunch with them. It was nice to have them around. I posted some pictures of the fun.

Not much on the agenda today. I have a meeting at 8 and then office work the rest of the day. Nancy is going to a funeral today and will be gone.

Registration is Monday so we will be working this weekend to get everything ready. It is better to work over the weekend than to be panicked the day of the event.

Not much else. I hope everyone has a good weekend.

Off to start.

I guess I forgot

So Jess wanted a picture of her running at the state track meet on the blog.

It is odd that I hadn't put one up. I must have been so caught up in the hoop-la that I didn't think about it.

Well, here it is.

Jess is going to hang out with Madison, Brady, Carter and Drew today. I think they are coming to the office today to eat lunch with us and play in the boxes we have from all the computers.

One meeting this morning, one tomorrow. School registration is Monday. Things seem to be rolling right along.

off to start.

Picture post

The weather is wonderful. Low 80's and no humidity. I am not sure what gives but I hope it lasts.

Nothing too crazy going on. Jess and I played a little tennis in the street last night. I made Manacotti for dinner and Drew had football practice.

I had to post today because Jess was complaining that I didn't have any state track pictures posted on the blog. Well, I don't have them with me so I put a picture up of her that I shot last night while we were working on dinner.

Not much on the agenda. Things are pretty quiet.

Time for a change

I decided to change the look for my blog. Let me know what you think.

Well the melatonin helped last night. I slept through the night and feel much better today.

It was a pretty uneventful day yesterday. Went to work, came home cooked dinner, went to bed. That pretty much sums it up.

Drew is still having trouble with his stomach I think Dawn is going to take him to the doctor this week. He was sleeping when I got home and said it still hurt, I gave him pepto and he seemed to feel better.

Jess slept in and then went to the pool in the afternoon. She is enjoying her week off.

The weather has been pretty good. I think it is going to be cool again this week. Low 80's for the rest of the week. Some minor chances of rain but nothing of any significance.

It won't be long and school will be starting up again. Jess will be a senior and Drew a freshman....Heaven help me!

Off to start.

Well Hello Monday whats been, a week?

It was a long weekend of basketball. The weather was good but I saw very little of it. Most of the weekend was spent in a gym in East Des Moines.

They didn't have all of the starters there so we didn't do that well. They played 3 games on Saturday and lost all three. On Sunday they won one of three. Jess played well and lead the team in scoring in all the games. The last game, the one they won, she scored 19 of the teams 30.

Drew spent the weekend hanging out with friends and mowing lawns. He mowed Nancy's and I had him mow mine as well since I was in Des Moines all weekend.

It was the last summer basketball Jess will ever play. She was a bit worn out last night. Six games in three days and she didn't get many breaks.

Today it is going to be hotter than it has been in awhile. I think close to 90. Drew has to mow Gene and Marsha's and then I think Jess is taking him to the pool at the country club.

A week from today we have school registration, two weeks from today, new teachers have orientation and the week after that the whole staff is back. Summer is winding down. I consider this the last week we will get any peace.

I haven't been sleeping well the last couple of nights. I have terrible dreams, not sure what they are but they have been making me toss and turn and wake up a lot. I may take sleeping pills tonight to see if that will help. It sucks being up at night.

Ok, off to start.

Mondays are better and Fridays not as great in the summer

It is going to be a warm day today. It may be the first time in the month of July that we hit 90 degrees. If we don't quite make it, it will be a record.

Molly gets her shots today. She has an appointment at 9:30. Nancy is getting the convertible out and we are taking the kids to Des Moines for a little lunch. I think I will get a haircut while we are out. I need one really bad.

This weekend Jess has a basketball tournament in Des Moines. I am pretty sure that is all we have going on. I want to take the kids to Harry Potter tonight, we have done it together from the very first movie,but we will see how everyone feels. Drew really wants to go.

Ok, off to start.

I don't think that is body paint

It is going to be nice today. We had rain most of the day yesterday but it cleared up last night. Today seems to be good and is supposed to be good all day.

Yesterday was a good day at work. I got some much needed work done and have a good focus on what I want to accomplish the rest of the week. I am hoping today is good as well.

Jess had a volleyball camp yesterday. Last night she was tired and grouchy. I saw her until dinner and then she spent the rest of the night downstairs in her room watching tv.

Drew spent yesterday at a friends house helping him paint his room. He was a mess when he got home. He had paint all over him and all over his clothes. At least he didn't wear anything nice. I can't imagine what the room looked like. They painted one of their friends. Literally, painted him without his shirt on so he was completely blue.

I am surprised I didn't get a call from an angry parent last night. Drew said he wanted to be painted and he talked them into doing it. He also said the kids mom new about it and just made them spray it off him. What the hell are they thinking.

Today Jess has more volleyball camp. If she is anything like yesterday I will stay clear of her tonight.

This weekend she has her last basketball tournament of the summer. It is in Des Moines and it is both Saturday and Sunday.

Ok off to start.

Still Summer - Whoo-hoo

It looks like it might be a little rainy today. The sky is full of clouds and there is a cool breeze.

Jess had volleyball camp with Iowa State today. It is in Perry so at least they don't have to travel.

Drew has weight lifting and basketball today.

I am enjoying it being summer in the office. The calls have been coming in but not that bad and the work we have is not frantic it is just a nice constant pace. It helps with my stress level.

RAGBRAI is going on this week and it is running through the southern part of the state this year. I am glad it isn't anywhere near here. It is a real hassle with traffic and they are messy.

No meetings planned for this week. I have a vendor coming in on Thursday but other than that my calendar is open. I do have a lot of work to do but it looks like I will truly have a chance to get it done in the next couple weeks.

I found out yesterday that a girl in Drew's class is pregnant. What a shame that is. She isn't even in high school yet and pregnant. I had a little talk with Drew about it last night. He was shocked. He knows her but it isn't one of the kids that he hangs around with.

Like is kind of like a game of Russian roulette. You just never know.

Ok, off to start.

This Monday doesn't seem so bad...What gives?

The weekend kind of flew by. The weather is still good. I am not sure what the deal is but it has been really nice lately. I keep thinking the other shoe is about to drop.

We visited Iowa State on Friday. It was an eye opening experience. They have really nice facilities and are building a new outdoor track stadium and it should be up and running in a couple years.

The coach was really nice and provided us with a lot of information. He said they want Jess to run track at Iowa State and wants her to come up for an "official" visit in early fall and then they will offer a scholarship.

They have an academic center devoted to student athletes and she would have a world of resources at her fingertips. The one thing he said that I liked. He said "If you come to Iowa State, I can guarantee you two things. You will get a degree and you will get faster."

We will be able to take 5 official visits this fall.

Jess played in a basketball tournament in Creston Saturday. They won 2 and lost 1. She lead the team in scoring all games. She scored 20, 16 and 12 points. The last game they lost to a team that really was throwing elbows and fouling hard. Jess got a fat lip and a sore jaw. One of the girls on the team got elbowed in the throat and in the back of the neck. I am not sure I have seen a game with more girls crying in it. We ended up losing 31-20. Jess scored 12 of the 20.

Drew hung out at home this weekend. He has been practicing football, basketball and lifting weights. He kind of hung out around the house Saturday playing playstation and then Sunday was out and about with his friends most of the day.

I am not sure what the week ahead will bring but I am sure whatever it is, I could not have predicted it.

I need to call and get an appointment for Molly at the vet. It is time for her shots.

Ok, off to start the week.

Zombie by 7

The weather today is unseasonably cool. I think we may be in store for record lows today. It is very cool and breezy.

We are headed to Ames this morning to the Iowa State campus to meet the track coaches and see some of the facilities. It will be interesting.

The local news is reporting that the police are doing a seat belt check this weekend and it is going to be state wide. If you are driving through Iowa, make sure you are wearing your seat belt or risk a ticket.

We have had a bit of a controversy here in Iowa as of late. Each year, the state fair puts on a butter display. They have a butter cow and they sculpt different people in butter that might have been in the news or in the public eye. This year they planning on a moon walking Micheal Jackson.

There was a bunch of negative feedback so the put it to a vote. The vote ended yesterday so the state is holding their collective breaths waiting for the results. We should know sometime today if there will indeed be a moon walking Micheal Jackson carved out of butter. (I will keep you posted)

I am not sure what the deal was but last night I was completely wiped out. I was nodding off at 7:00 and headed to bed around 8:30. I feel much better today but it felt like I kind of wasted the night because I was so tired.

It was also a double wammy because Jess stayed home last night. One night in about 2 weeks that I get to hand out with her and I can't keep my eyes open.

I will spend some time with her this morning on the trip to Ames so it works out.

Ok, off to start my day...Have a great weekend!!

At least it sounds good to me

The weather is going to be good again today. Maybe a little rain but it will be cool and not humid. If feels more like April or May instead of mid July.

I woke up this morning at 3:30 with a horrible, horrible headache. I took some medicine and it seems to have taken the edge off. Headaches seem to be my curse. For some reason I tend to get them a lot and they just kill me. Ugh!

One good thing came out of being up since the wee hours of the morning. I have an idea for a cool website. It is either a good idea or I am just so out of it that it seems like a good idea to me. In any event, here it is.

I created a site (well it is not really created...It exists but has no content) that is a site for amateur writers to publish work and have it read by the public. Readers could get a sample of the work for free and then if they liked what they read, they could download the entire story or whatever for a small price....like a dollar or two. The author could get the money with a small percent going to the site (me).

At this point I have no clue if I will ever get it developed but I think it sounds like a good idea....(remember I am sleep deprived at the moment). The site is www.readerspandora.com

I own the domain name.

Tomorrow we take Jess to Iowa State to meet the track coach, see the facilities and whatever else they have in store for us. It should be interesting.

Ok, off to start.