These (birth) Days

Happy birthday Jackson Browne. I've always loved the Tom Rush arrangement, so that's how I do it here. One of the few songs I can actually play on guitar. (Don't get used to it.) Also, if you're reading this on Facebook, Either find the video elsewhere on my wall or follow the link back to my blog. FB doesn't transfer the video, just the text.

Anyway, thanks for listening. I'll try to do better next time.

Another video

I chose this one because it's one of Katie's favorites. Things have gotten better in Belfast since Nanci Griffith wrote this, but it's true of too many other places in the world, including Arizona, I'm afraid.

Thanks for checking this out. I'll try to do better next time.

In honor of Bruce's Birthday on Thursday

I should have done this on the day, but I haven't had time until now. As usual, the guitarist can sing, but the singer isn't much of a guitarist, so bear with me.

Great things about my summer

Reading.
Playing with my kids.
Getting to know my wife.
Not going to work.
Singing more.
Reading.
Seeing my sister.
Seeing my sister's kids.
Listening to my nephew play ocarina.
Going to the White Mountains.
Not having my house burn down.
Going to San Francisco.
Seeing "Whistler's Mother" at the DeYoung Museum.
Seeing humpback whales off the California coast.
Spending a week in San Luis Obispo and the Central Coast.
Reading.
Getting bobbleheads at all 4 D-backs games I went to this summer.
Watching the D-backs win all 4 games I went to this summer.
Reconnecting with old friends.
Finding out my teaching schedule for this year is OK after all.
Reading.

Thanks for reading. I'll try to do better next time.

Another reason I'm a teacher

I have always enjoyed being a teacher, even when I don't have a lot of reason to continue. In Arizona, we are the least appreciated profession and I am given more reasons to despair than I would have thought possible. But every now and then, something happens to remind me why I do this. I do this job because it lets me have a small part in the lives of amazing kids who grow up to be amazing adults. Case in point: I just discovered that one of my former students is part of a project that is focused on relief efforts in Africa. She was a member of my favorite graduating class of all time and I discovered her work by accident. You can check it out by clicking on her blog, "The Indestructible Beat," on the right side of this page.

I would be lying if I thought that her work had anything to do with my classes. I do believe that, deep down somewhere, a little piece of her time with me has influenced her life. Some days, that's all I get, but, thankfully, it's enough.

Thanks for reading. I'll try to do better next time.

More great Rich Mullins

I just felt like writing about Rich Mullins. Here's one of my favorite Rich Mullins quotes:

"This is what I've come to think: that if I want to identify fully with Jesus Christ, who I claim to be my Savior and Lord, the best way I can do that is to identify with the poor. This I know will go against the teachings of all the popular evangelical preachers, but they're just wrong. They're not bad, they're just wrong."

Amen, Brother Rich.

Stressing me out

I can't stand the way things are going in Arizona right now. Our legislature is fiddling while Rome burns. For instance, yesterday they spent time voting to put the 10 Commandments in front of the Capitol building, which I'm not sure they even own anymore. Now they'll get sued and waste more money, instead of finding a way to pay for education. My current vote for worst person in Arizona is State Senator Russell Pearce:

What a dope.

I hate not sleeping. Anybody got any tips on how to turn off my brain when I turn off the lights?

The Olympics are great and I'm really enjoying them. I want to try out curling. It seems to be about my speed.

Rich Mullins is still my hero. (Honorable mention to Tony Kornheiser.)

Pitchers and catchers report in 2 days and I'm thrilled.

I'm trying a kind of short duration, high intensity interval training and it's kicking my butt. It also seems to be working.

Jon Randall is a highly overlooked and underrated singer-songwriter. Go buy his CD.

Thanks for reading. I'll try to do better next time.