It's that Time of Year

Well, school has started again. Today was my first day with students at my new school. I didn't really know what to expect going in. I knew class sizes were going to be bigger (and that can be both good and bad- more options but if it is too big tough to handle). I knew I had to brace myself for more kids who think that the world revolves around them and are just complete aholes to people. Lineville didn't have that problem. I did encounter some of this. I had to confiscate a cell-phone (why do they even bring them into school?) and had a couple give me looks of "I'm too cool for this." Despite that (and I expected it) I thought my first day went very well and better than those unknown expectations that I had going in. The principal even came up to me after school and said that he had "heard a lot of positive things" about me and my classes. Don't know if it was coming from teachers who overheard my rules and first day speeches or if it came from students. Either way, not a bad way to start. I think the biggest thing that will help me though this year though is the fact that last year I learned that not everything will go perfect. Knowing that simple little thing helps out a lot. Plan the best you can and do a good job teaching, but know that not every day will be perfect.

What still worries me though about this year (and for the rest of my career for that fact) is just my inner-thoughts about my teaching. When I heard the principal tell me that this afternoon, I felt really good for a few minutes. But then I started thinking, "even though I thought my first day went well, why did they think it went overly well. I messed up here and here." Or like last year when I left Lineville, people kept telling me that I did a great job and will be missed. Always nice to hear, but I often wondered "why do they think I did so well and I don't." I've realized over the course of the last few weeks when getting ready for school, attending meetings, and even going into personal life stuff (i.e. girls) that I may have record levels of self-doubt. I look at lessons and say "this isn't good enough." I look at other teachers and say "why can't I be more like that." I go out this weekend for a bachelor party and watch guys hitting on girls and wonder, "how come I can't come off so smooth." Thing is, people tell me "oh you do a great job teaching" or "you must be a real ladies' man, your so smooth." I keep hearing from people that I am what I would like to be, but I don't see it within myself. They say "good teacher" and I look into the mirror and see "someone who really fights to be decent." I don't know how I can gain more self-confidence, and I don't know why I struggle with myself on this issue so much. I just feel very uncomfortable at times. Which always makes me start pondering other jobs, a different lifestyle (going back to school). Part of me just wishes I could land a job working for the Hawkeyes in someway, one of the few subjects that I feel very confident in myself in. Heck, I don't even feel confident in Politics. Someone will argue something, I will rebut and even if that person tells me "good point, nice argument" I still feel like my point was mumbo jumbo not making much sense. I'm sorry I carry on with this but I do it for two reasons. 1) This is something that has been on my chest for a very long time and 2) Maybe someone out there can tell me what I'm missing within myself. Thanks for listening.

Lessons Learned From Sports...

As soon as you read that title, you probably think that this blog is going to be about hard work, never giving up, all that good stuff that your high school coaches spew out to you (by the way, I do it now). If you thought that, you were mistaken. I almost called this blog Bizzarro World II, but didn't want people to think that I've taken my "Friends" bashing onto "Everybody Loves Raymond." For the record, I enjoy "Raymond" very much. This blog is about the lesson(s) I've learned from sports in just the past couple weeks.

If our country faces one true epidemic, it is not obesity or even a surplus of bad reality shows, it is a lack of responsibility. We see it all the time. President Bush and his administration not taking any responsiblity for lost lives based on REALLY faulty information could be used as an example. BUT, it is politics. They aren't going to admit defeat, they have popularity ratings and agendas to pass. Thus, a lack of responsibility takes a backseat in politics because that is the name of the game. The prime examples that I've seen recently, and by the way- I'm no saint here, we all at times don't stand up to the test of responsibility some time or another- come from sports.

Example number one: Rafeal Palmeiro tests positive for Steroid use after just reaching a career mileston of 3000 hits. His first response: "I didn't knowingly take them...yeah that's the ticket...they were 'spiked' into my creatine mix." So not only did he admit that he messed up, he was also the one who before Congress in the Spring pointed his finger at Senators and said he had never done anything like that and to think so is an embarassment to him. No "Raffy," I think we all know who is embarassed now.

Example number two: Terrel Owens, the reciever for the Philadephia Eagles signed a big contract last year. I believe it gives him $8 million a year. Well he had a good season last year and wants more money. Instead of just holding out for a new contract like most sports cry-babies, he showed up to camp and proceeded to act like a 3rd grader. He told his coach that "you aren't my dad, I don't have to listen," he showed up to camp in all camo, he did sit-ups in front of the press to draw attention, and got kicked out of camp. He respected no one else on his team other than himself, all because he wants more money. First, you SIGNED the contract last year knowing full well that you couldn't re-up your contract until a couple more years. Live by your word T.O. Second, and this one bugs me the most, have you EVER FOR ONE SECOND, thought about how much money you make? $8 million a year!!!!! Add up all the salaries of everyone in my multiple buidling apartment complex and we don't even sniff the poop on your shoe. Get real and grow up. And to think, an author recently put out a book called "The 100 People Ruining America" and Jimmy Carter (yes the former pres. who builds houses for Habitat despite being like 90 years old) is on the list, but T.O. isn't.

So the lesson these sports figures are shining a lighthouse sized lamp on is that our country has some serious problems with responsibility (not only lying but also doing the right thing and living up to your word). Thanks for pointing this out though, maybe we can learn something from it.

Bizarro World

Hey everyone. It has been a long time since we rock and rolled. Sorry about the delay. Nothing really new or exciting has happened since then. Became another year older, am getting close to starting another school year (my room is looking like a real classroom now), and Hawkeye Football is only a measly 26 days away!

Anyways, tonight I was waiting for the first NFL Preseason game to be played on ABC and a rerun of "Friends" was being played on the local affilate. When I watch "Friends" I chuckle but I never really got into it. In fact, I think "Friends" gets overrated many times, taking away from underrated "Frasier," which ended the same year as "Friends." At this point I do realize the hate mail I will receive from this, and all I say is bring it on. It was/is only a decent sitcom for these reasons (I understand I don't have a lot of reasons, just good ones):

1) The show became more of a drama than a comedy. Are Ross and Rachel finally going to get together? Will Monica and Chandler move away? Why didn't we just make it an hour long and call it a thirty-something Dawson's Creek? The comedy was lost in trying to make a story line.

2) This is the biggie. It seems as if "Friends" was set in a Bizarro World (yes, that is also a Seinfeld reference because Seinfeld is quite possibly the best sitcom of all time). How many times did we see an African-American character or even just an African-American extra in this show? I think Ross had an African-American girlfriend toward the end, but that is it. The situations they were in were "real life" but how many times does something happen to you and you say "Boy, that was just like that one episode of "Friends" were such and such happened to so and so."? You almost never do. How about this one, the main thing that made me think about this blog. They had a lot of guest stars on "Friends." In the episode I watched tonight Susan Sarandon guest starred. Great, but when trying to connect with the viewers and be more of this world rather than bizarro t.v. world, a guest star never played themselves in the show. For instance, on Seinfeld a guest star comes on for a cameo and they usually played themselves. Corbin Bersen, George Wendt, numerous Yankee players, Keith Hernandez, and while it isn't really him they have a guy play George Steinbrenner. It was "real world" and you could connect with what was happening to them and knew the people who they were talking about/encountered as themselves. In Bizarro world, the gang of Friends was living in NYC but never really made reference to events of the city (the Yankees, the Mets, the mayor, etc.)

I know, you can complain I'm being nitpicky, but it is true. When I watch, I do chuckle. BUT I don't feel a connection to the show because they are in Television Bizarro world and not a show in our world. Okay, I'll quit complaining now. Enjoy Friends next time you watch!