Bad job Bobbye.

So occasionally I am possessed by the thought that people may want to hear what I have to say. In the off chance that is true, they usually are not going to get to hear it by reading my blog. I am a terrible blogger. I usually forget that I even have this damn thing. So here it is. My sad attempt at giving you something to read.

I have decided that what I want to do when I grow up. I want to be an education advocate. I am sick and tired of good kids being tread on by a system that is supposed to serve them. Every teacher that I see is just plain tired. The work load is a burden that they just can't overcome. The system is affecting our children negatively and I am just plain tired of it. NCLB is a damn joke. The bureaucracy in our schools is a shame. I am going to see what I can do to fix it. Wish me luck.

Oh...does anyone know a good program to get me a degree to be an educational advocate?

A letter to my eldest son

We were driving down the road today I was compelled to tell you how wonderful I think you are. I am pretty sure you know, but sometimes it is nice to hear. I am proud of the young man that you have become and I want you to know everyday of your life that you are better than him. I know that this year has been hard and certain things have lost some of there shine. I know that in certain aspects of your life that you have had to move from a childish view of the world to a more grown up view. Please remember every day of your life that you are loved and wanted. The path that someone has chosen is not a reflection of any fault in you, but a reflection of a deep flaw within him. Please trust me when I say that it is not you who is broken, but him. He is a small weak person who has missed out on the greatest gift that was ever given to him. He has missed out on a funny, kind compassionate young man, who is probably one of the most talented human beings to ever grace the face of the earth. I know that he has hurt you and I am sorry for that. I am sorry for the part that I played in causing you that pain. We were young and both broken. Unfortunately he is not capable of fixing what is broken in his soul. I do not think that it is fixable and I think that you are right to walk away. I, on the other hand, know that you are what fixed what was broken with in me. There are few people with the exception of family who knew me before you. Those that are still around will attest to the fact that it was a small boy that grounded me. I had lost my joy in life and I found it in the face of a boy named Evan. I am honored and over joyed to know that I have had a hand in making you the person that you are today. You and Hayden are the greatest joys that I will ever know. In spite of the fact that you are so loved, I still see that you have been hurt by an idiot that I knew years ago. I know that for so long you expected more of him, and have finally excepted that he is incapable of coming through for you. I see you listening to father of mine by Everclear and I know that you feel like you can relate. I see the brief look in your eyes when someone says that you look like him, or sound like him. It used to be a look of pride and as of late it has shifted to a look of disdain. Let me tell you right now - You have only the best parts of that man. You possess a sharp wit and a wry eye for the world. You move like him, you sound like him, but that is it. There is none of the nastiness, the callousness, or the general disregard for everyone but yourself in you. Not one ounce and don't ever think for a minute that there is. The best parts of you come from me and my family and the people who have cared for you and loved you since the day you were born. You are such an amazing person that you managed to just inherit that good parts of a terrible person. Well I have rambled on here long enough. I just wanted to remind you that I love you, think you are wonderful, and am honored to be graced with your presence everyday. You truly are one of my best friends.

I am speechless

Okay so maybe I am not speechless, but I promise I was for a minute. Totally speechless - Which for me is a big deal. I am over it now and ready to rant.

Man oh man. I like Connecticut, I really do. I think that it suits me. How ever if good old CT can't get its act together I may have to start seeing other states. It seems like every time I turn around CT is making the news for being the worst at something. We have the highest achievement gap, we pay the most for gas (yes sir, we now pay more than Alaska and Hawaii) and now we have been publicly embarrassed for our unwillingness to help someone in need. For a minute and 9 seconds no one bothered to help a man who had been struck by a car. The video is absolutely chilling. You can see the cars swerve around the elderly (yes folks to make it even more horrifying the man who was struck was elderly) victim, you can see a moped circle the man and never stop, and you can see people on the sidewalk just gawk. Not a single person offered first aid. No one even bothered to walk over and hold his hand and whisper words of comfort while he waited for emergency help.

So again CT in in the nation news. Watch me.

I do not believe that this sort of behavior is unique to CT. I think that our whole country has learned to turn a blind eye to our neighbors suffering. I am particularly outraged because this happened in my state.

I think that all the caring chill heads that I know in Connecticut need to take a look at this and work together to show people that we know better. We need to create a community that cares for its neighbors and looks out for one and other. Not people who walk by someone who is hurt.

I am sure that everyone is sick of hearing me jump up on a soap box and rant about the need for change. If this doesn't drive the point home I am not sure what will.

Now lets start a revolution.

Believe

Well boys and girls...
I am back. It has been awhile, I nearly forgot that I had this blog. So here is what id going on in my jumbled up mind.
We had the first meeting of a parent advocacy group tonight. It left me excited that we have the capability to enact some change with in our schools. I was excited by the turn out and excited that all of the leg work and planning paid of.
On the other hand I was also enraged. Enraged to hear that a room full of parents have had to fight tooth and nail to get the things that they need to make sure their children have a positive educational experience. I am sure that all you people are sick of hearing me rant about the state of public school, but I will say it again. It is a god damned shame. Our kids need to have a program that makes them feel supported and encouraged. Where is it at? We are to busy "teaching to the test" to teach our children. It is a travesty of justice.

Also as you all know I am an Obama supporter. I have been fired up. I have talked to people, I have made calls and I have sat outside of Stop and Shop to rev for my guy. But I am just damn sick of the democratic primaries at this point. Hillary is like that guest that is at a party and everyone else is ready to go home and she just keeps on talking. Go home Hillary. Let me rest because I am tired.

I am also thinking that it is time that we as free citizens start protesting again. Our generation is lazy. We need to hit the streets and let people know that we are enraged on a variety of issues. We have had enough and it is time that we let people know it.

alright.

A political rant - read at your own risk

Below is a bulletin that I recieved and my response to said bulletin. My thoughts about this complete and utter bullshit bulletin are in red.

Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM from Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white ATHIEST from Wichita, Kansas. -ohhh lets get people on the hook by pointing out that his middle name is Hussein. Isn't that like that Saddam guy...well golly gee...if they have the same name they must share the same traits. I like to think that the american population at large is more intellegant than this...sadly I am often proven wrong. Also do I need to note that his parents religions are in BOLD letters. I assure you my friends none of you want to be prosectued for things in your family tree. ALSO..need I point out that the we have a little policy in this country about freedom of religion. It goes a little something like this.......

Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government for freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion (irreligion) and not to believe in any god (atheism or agnosticism). Religious toleration is the condition of accepting or permitting others' religious beliefs and practices which disagree with one's own. Freedom of religion is considered by many in Western nations to be a fundamental human right. So yet again people are going to talk about how we need to protect our country while simultaneously pissing on its constitution.

Obama's parents met at the University of Hawaii. When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya. His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia. - So apparently this time we are gonna capitalize RADICAL instead of the religion. Now not only are we going to point out the religions of his parents...but the religion of his step -parents. I wonder why we did not not point out the religion of his gradnparents who he lived with for a large portion of his childhood...oh wait could it be because they are christian.


When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to Indonesia. Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta. He also spent two years in a Catholic school. - Obviously my first question is going to be why we capitalize MUSLIM but not CATHOLIC.



- Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is quick to point out that, "He was once a Muslim, but that he also attended Catholic school." - Obama's political handlers are attempting to make it appear that Obama's introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was temporary at best. - So they talk about the "great care" that Senetor Obama takes to conceal the fact that he is Muslim...yet later they refer to the fact that he was sorn into office with the Koran. That seems a bit of a contidiction to me. Also I would like to point out that my sisters went to catholic school...there were people that practiced many religions in catholic school. I think that it is a fair assumption that there may be people at Islamic schools that practice different religions. I would also like to draw attention to the fact that people are entitled to the right to change their religion. It happens all the time for all different kinds of reasons. People convert to catholicism to get married in their parents church....yet apparently once a muslim always a muslim...I guess according to some people changing religions for certain reasons are okay but others are not...maybe that rule only applys if you are or were a muslim.



In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct influence over his son's education.
Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. - Ummm my mother married a man who was Catholic...I am not know nor have I ever been a Catholic.



Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta. - Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world.
The term Wahhabi has been often conflated with a lot of other issues and pejoratives. Due to its different representations in different contexts ^[11], in some ways, it may have lost any real, significant meaning; however some Salafis, albeit very few, refer to themselves as Wahhabis, such as in Indonesia. - I am gonna venture a guess that who ever wrote this lovely article did not take the time to research Wahhabism or to find out that Wahhabi is mostly considered a derogatory term.



- Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking Major public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background. - I am gonna go back to my point that who are we to judge why a person changed religions. Again must I point out that people have all sorts of reasons for converting to different religions. Whp are you to condem the reason for changing religions. I would also point out that the christian caucasian that we have now aint doing such a hot job.. basically members of his staff are being picked of one by one...oh yeah good riddence to the attorney general.



Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential candidacy. I for one plan on remaining very alert to the fact that for once I feel like we have a chance. I will for the first time remain alert to the fact that I think that there is a chance for real change. I will remain alert to freedom of religion. I will remain more alert of the changes he has made for the state of Illinois and less alert of his parents religious beliefs...I will remain alert of the feeling of hope that I finally have for the United States Government and less alert to the bigoted opinions of small minded people.



- The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside out, what better way to start than at the highest level - through the President of the United States, one of their own!!!! I am not sure I even have the energy to justify this with a response. It is progaganda like this that is allowing our government to take away our civil liberties with things like the Patriot Act. As long as we remain frightened we will allow our liberties to disappear one by one.



- ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office - he DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran (Their equivalency to our Bible, but very different beliefs) - I have to go back to the fact that in an earlier paragraph it was stated by our genius bulletin author that Senator Obama tries to hide his Muslim roots...He apparently decided not to hide them that day.

-
Please forward to everyone you know. - I most certainly will not I have more common sense than to forward something that is purely inflammatory and obviously ignorant.



Would you want this man leading our country?...... NOT ME!!! - Well get out there and vote buddy. Even people with ignorant opinions are entitled to voice them.

If the Dr's and teachers that bombed London could do that, it's scarry to think what this man could do in control of our whole country. First off, while it may be a little snarky I would like to point out that scary only has one r. I also just have to throw in one more shout out for freedom of religion. I mean it really is a good rule

a general sort of update

So the circus is one week from today. Things are moving at warp speed and I cannot see them slowing down. I have a million things to do and no time to do them. Alas I think that is the plight of most "grown ups" in america. This whole grown up thing is over rated. Speaking of which...I have hit a mile stone in my grown up life. In the past when I have gotten behind on the bills and financial stuff I have just sulked and said fuck 'em. I have found however if you call them and be reasonable they will in turn be reasonable. I have also gotten much better about paying my debts and attempting to pay them on time. Now if I could only say that about other people. Specifically the one that always pays me late. So I am trying to plan to take the kids to Michigan for a week in the near future. So all my Michigan folks I look forward to seeing you soon. To all my CT folks....I better see you next week at the Circus!! 5pm at Spencer School. Be there or Be Square.

The Gypsys Roam

So I realize that most people do not make it to 28 years old with all four of their grandparents. Until this morning I was that lucky. I am glad that I was able to make it home last week and see my grandfather before he passed away. I also got to see my grandma after her surgery. Seeing my family like that has made me think. It has made me re-evaluate my feelings on love and sharing your life with some one. The way my grandparents are with one and other is priceless. They fought hard to be together for years and years. My Grandma Knoll said that she had been married for 53 years and the last 20 had been good. Seeing her sitting next to my grandpa and knowing that all she could do was be there and hold his hand, The desicions that she made. The way he fought through his in abilities to speak to tell her that he loved her. He would refuse his pain medicine in the morning to be lucid enough to talk to her.My other grandparents are the same way. Years ago when my Grandpa had her heart surgery the first thig that he said when he woke up was come her Ma so I can see your face. When my grandma had Surgery on Monday he told us how he sold his car and came back from Colorado to marry her. He said he took a shine to her and it still shines today. 61 years later. They fought hard. Both sets of Grandparents. They did not give up when stuff got hard. There is a story in my family about how my grandma once shot at my grandpa. He pissed her off bad enough that she fired warning shots but she never gave up. So as I enter the world of grand children who have lost a grandparent, i go sadly, but I go proud of my grandparents. I am proud of my Grandma and Grandpa Bean who love each other dearlyand take care of each other after 61 years. My grandma Knoll who was strong for my my Grandpa Knoll right up to the end. Proud of my Grandpa who has passed away this morning. Who raised a family that loved him and is traveling from far and wide to celebrate his life on Saturday. I am so glad that I was able to go home and see him one last time. To let him know that I loved him. I will cherish memories and my big dysfunctional family. Like all the rest of the gypys I will roam home tomorrow to celebrate the gypsy king. Some one better alert the authorities their will be a lot ok Knolls in New Buffalo. They may want to put an extra man on.