"T"

The title represents another first in my teaching/coaching career. My first technical foul. Yes, I recieved a T for arguing a stupid call from a ref who thinks he is all that and a bag of potato chips. It isnt actually that exciting, no chairs thrown or anything. Our center grabbed a rebound, took a pause to shoot, and when she did the girl she was fighting with for the rebound fell into her. They called a push on our center. Saying she pushed and went over the back to grab the rebound. My argument was "if she went over the back, call that- not a push, and call it when it happens- not three seconds later when we are trying to shoot." I also said "she couldn't push when she has the ball in both hands up in the air to shoot. That is impossible." Got our crowd all excited though. Good times in small-town high school basketball.

Went to the Iowa State v. Oklahoma basketball game this weekend. Yes, I went to an ISU game. Had a free ticket and it was a decent game. I was impressed by the "Hilton Magic" and the ISU fans. Much louder than Carver-Hawkeye. Still not as good a team as the Hawkeyes though!

While at the game with high school friends, we were commenting on how old we feel already. Not even one year out of school and things have already changed so much. We saw the college kids going nuts in the student section and then overheard them talking about the parties they were going to and just looked at each other with that look of "wow, we are old." It is definately a weird feeling and something I'm sure all of us have gone through at some point in this past year. What makes it even more weird is that when you are 12, 13 and thinking about being "grown-up" you think about having all these questions in life answered and your life set. Now that I have reached grown-up status at the age of 23, I have none of these questions answered and nothing really solidly set for my future. It is like being stuck in a time warp. We are old, yet we are young.

Congrats to the Iraqis on their first election. Things sound like they went well. Minor bombings here and there but good turnout. Over 60% for sure. Which brings me back to the question I asked last week in a blog...why can't we do that here? How come America prides itself on being the greatest democracy in the world and we get barely 50% voter turnout. We don't have to worry about getting shot or bombed on the way to the polls. We don't show up because "it is too cold in November." So I guess, congrats to the Iraqis for making Americans look like sissies too.

Well, I could write a book tonight (maybe someday I will write a real book- seriously I want to) but nobody is prepared to read a book tonight/this morning/whenever you read it. So with that until next time...

I'm sitting here sweating...

and it could be because even though I have my thermostat at 60, my apartment is still 74 degrees! ( I may want to figure this out). But I'm most likely sweating because of my anger/bitterness/disappointment in Iowa basketball. I don't know who to blame...Alford, the players who do DUMB things, all of them at once, but it is making me sick. I love my Iowa basketball so much but over the past 4 or 5 years I've become all too accustomed with blowing leads, losing at the buzzer...and this is to teams like Northwestern who we should never lose to!!! I am starting to think Iowa basketball is cursed, or that I am cursed for liking them so much. Mark 2005 down as another year I won't see the Hawkeyes play in the Final Four.

So after tonight's debacle, here is a quick list of what I would have rather have done than see that final Northwestern shot go in....

1) Watched a 24 hour marathon of the Tony Danza show.
2) Punched myself in the face about 5 or 6 times...HARD
3) Listen to an entire Celine Dion CD (no offense Celine fans)
4) Jumped into a pool with the outside temperature being -10 degrees
5) Repeatedly drop a 50 pound weight on my foot for an hour straight.

There are probably more, but I must move on. Another game Saturday. And I'll be back. I'm such a sucker

Spin Cycle...

Okay, I haven't had a political post in quite awhile...so take a seat and prepare for a lesson.

I was driving home from school this afternoon listening to Sean Hannity. My thoughts on Hannity can be summed up later, or if you really want to know, give me a call or email. He was discussing the upcoming Iraqi elections, they are this weekend- the 30th. First off, he claims that voter turnout will be around 80%. That is great if that happens...my question is why can't we do that in our OWN country! You got to be kidding me...we have to go liberate a country to see high voter turnout?

Anyways, what really caught my ear and got me hot around the collar was his "scolding" democrats for not wanting to do this- the Iraqi liberation. A) This democrat never really did have his mind made up going into March 2003 when we first invaded. B) What we- the American public- were being fed in the leadup to war was WMD. We heard WMD this and WMD that and how they were SUCH a threat to America. Now two years later when it is clear that WMD were not there (in fact we gave up our search) all of a sudden this war is about the noble effort to free the Iraqis. Now, I'm all for the freedom and upcoming elections of the Iraqis, but the Bush administration and those following him (Hannity) have taken and passed with flying colors the class on Spin. They have successfully spun this war from "we must stop this threat and get the WMD" to "WMD? It's all about freedom baby."

Continuing on this trend...we went from "We will not rest until Osama is found" to "Osama? I don't know nor do I really care." Now freedom of the Iraqis is a noble cause and Bush's speech last week on ending world tyranny is idealistic, but he has led us astray from the REAL reasons war began. What happened to Osama...to WMD? How come I feel like my chain is being yanked around the backyard while tax dollars are being spent...deficit is growing...and we all know friends/loved ones sacrificing in Iraq?

The biggest thing that this administration is good at is its spin cycle.

Sidenote: R.I.P Johnny Carson. Our age group didn't get to spend a lot of time enjoying your talent...but I do remember being allowed to stay up late for your final episode. I also remember staying up on Fridays to watch and LOVING the Carnac the Magnificent sketches. A true American legend.

What a week....

Wow, tomorrow is Friday. The week has actually flown by, but what a week it was. I'm sorry in advance if this gets long.

Monday starts with me getting called into the Principal's office first hour along with the PE teacher/AD/boys coach and the girls coach. Our best girls player and second best boys player were caught drinking in the school parking lot...smooth. A nice way to start the week.

Wednesday I gave a chapter/semester end test in all of my classes. Happy with a couple classes and happy with a couple students out of each class, but some students dissappoint me to no end. I know a couple of them just never get good grades on tests, but when you skip nearly half the test and don't even try the questions...that is just unimaginable to me!

Started second semester today, I got my grades done and now have a couple new classes to teach. Two of them have ONE student each. 2nd hour= 1 kid. Last hour= 1 kid. Great.

Hawkeye basketball tonight...exciting stuff. Took the number one team in the country into overtime on the road...then lost. I'm proud of them though and the officiating was terrible. Can someone explain to me how "Special" Ed Hightower got a NCAA Official's license? My new battlecry for the Hawks.."We Got Hightowered!"

President Bush was re-inagurated today. I'm always drawn to these things whether I like the president or not. For those of you expecting some anti-Bush stump right now...I think the cost of the entire thing is awful, I think Bush is getting a big head- he claims a "mandate", when winning 51% of the vote and having a 50% job approval rating and having a 34% approval rating on his new social security plan. I don't think that is a mandate Tex. Condi Rice is a close step from becoming Sec. of State. I think she is very well educated, BUT I like Colin Powell (sorry to see him go) and I think Condi is too much of a Bush puppy. She will follow him no matter what. They have almost too close of a relationship for my tastes.

Anyways, during one class today we watched some coverage online (we don't have cable at the school) and a minister by the name of Wallis(?) was on talking to Brian Williams about his book- and my new "must-read"- God's Politics, How the Right is Wrong and the Left doesn't Get It. Sounds like just the book I've been looking for when trying to balance my faith and politics. The left doesn't get it, but the right has hijacked faith and God and made it theirs when they have some flaws in their thinking. Looking forward to reading it.

Anyone watching "I Love the 90's Part Deux"? It isn't the greatest of any of these "I Love..." series but definately worth it. I like reliving the 90s ;)

And to finish...after reading both Betsy and Tempa's blogs today, I enjoy very much "You've Got Mail" but I got no good references to it or any quotes. Sorry.

Later

So many things...

Once again I've become lazy with my blogging. I apologize. This time I do have good reason. Every night over the past week I've signed in and thought about updating, but endured what Tempa and I have recently dubbed "Blogger's Block." I just can't write. The weird thing is that it isn't a lack of ideas that hinders my writing capabilities...I have too many things to write about. I could write about political stuff going on ($50-60 million dollars on a re-inaguration? come on) I could write about school, the girl's basketball team (we picked up our second win and have a handful of winnable games coming up - so things are looking better), I could write about more personal things that I think about/struggle with. I just have too many ideas!

So, even tonight I don't have anything real good. It is just tough to put so many thoughts down into one blog that makes sense. I have been looking at the calendar though and realized it would be a good time to bring this up. At the end of February, I will be traveling to Chicago with some high school friends to run in an event called "Hustle up the Hancock" where, yes, we run up the stairs in the Hancock building. We got into this because of a guy by the name of Steve Ferkau. Steve has cystic fibrosis and recieved a lung transplant a few years back. That set of lungs came from a high school friend, Kari Westberg, that died in April of 2000. The race raises money for Lung Cancer, Cystic fibrosis, anything that the Lung Association deals with. I've made my donation with the entry fee, now I'm asking for your help too. Go to http://hustle2005.kintera.org/christiangrandgenett and you will be able to make a donation. If you feel uncomfortable about e-donations, contact me some way and we'll work something out. Thanks in advance to any donations that you are willing to give.

Work?!?

Well it has been four days since I've been to work. Actually...it has been 11 school days since I last worked. So now that the snow and ice have finally stopped and the roads appear to be getting better by the hour, I will finally be making my return to Lineville-Clio to start the second half of my teaching career. Bad thing is, in these last four days I've become a little too familiar again with the life of not having to work. Funny thing is, I've never felt more like a "grown-up" than I have these past few days. I have been getting up early yet. I have been paying bills, doing paperwork, shoveling snow, laundry, cleaning, etc. Crazy how that works!

Well, my haircut strike is now up to two months and four days. For those of you thinking I'm a huge nerd for counting days like that, I really don't count days betweeen haircuts. I just happened to notice that the last haircut I got was Nov. 2 according to the check I wrote out. How long will this go on? Well for those who know me well enough, longer hair starts to bug me so we shall see. I think it would be fun to push it into middle to late February though. So that is the goal now.

Let the game begin! The "game" being job searching. I have officially applied for my first new job. I applied for a Social Studies position at a brand new charter school in Minnesota. Sounds like a very interesting challenge and I figured why not? At the very least, I got my feet wet with writing cover letters, doing all that mumbo jumbo again. The real kickoff of this "game" is probably only about one or two months away.

I guess there isn't anything else really new or exciting going on. Nothing new or exciting could really happen when I've been snowed in! I suppose I should get ready for work tomorrow! Then again, this will only be ONE day of work, then it is the weekend! Happy weekend everyone! Later,

All I wanted was a Game Winning Field Goal....

and what I got was THE MOST EXCITING FINISH I HAVE EVER SEEN! Iowa, down one with only 13 seconds left at their own 44 yard line has just been hit with a 5 yard penalty and the clock starts up early on them (I'm not sure that was correct, but who cares now) and Drew Tate launches a bomb to an open Warren Holloway, who then escapes one would-be tackler and sprints into the endzone with zero on the clock!

I don't think I could have even dreamt this. I agree with what Gary Dolphin (the play-by-play man) was screaming at the end of the game..."I do not believe what I just saw." For those of you wondering my reaction here it is:

1) LSU scores, I throw my headset radio.

2) Iowa drives but neglects to call time and then gets penalized. I'm very upset.

3) Just two seconds after being very upset and yelling at the tv for a timeout, I am jumping up and down repeatedly yelling "OH MY GOD!" in a high pitch squeal. I am shaking trying to call home. They know it is me as soon as they answer the phone yelling "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" I seriously start to cry as my family and I share excitement and I watch replays of the play and of Drew Tate taking off his helmet and streaking down the field.

What a finish to a game and to a season. A season that started with the death of Jeff Parker, Defensive Coach Norm Parker's son who had Downs Syndrome...continued on with Norm's own battle with diabetes, a bad 2-2 start, injuries galore at the running back position, the death of Kirk Ferentz's dad, then an improbable Big Ten Title...now a 56 yard bomb with zero on the clock to win a New Year's Day bowl game. And look who caught it...Warren Holloway. Ferentz's first recruit at Iowa. Often overlooked, a kid who just did his job every day and didn't complain. A senior who had NEVER caught a Touchdown pass...until this one!!!! Wow!!!!

I could go on forever, but let me just finish by saying that this play is etched into my head forever. I think it is official now that when I get married and have kids, a son of mine will be named Drew or Tate with Warren as a middle name ;) And to Jim Zabel..wherever you are..."I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT!!"