My son missed a class called "Life Management Skills" that most kids take when they are Freshmen. Now that he is a senior, he wouldn't want to be caught dead in a 9th grade class, so his counselor suggested that he take the course in the Florida Virtual School - online. You must complete and submit assignments online, and take a telephone exam about once a month. I think this is a great resource. It must be really helpful to parents with homebound children. So far, his grade is 95%, so I am happy about that. Parents can also check assignments and grades online.
I am trying my first attempt to attach a video to the blog. I came across this video in my files. It is of Preston when he went to Drum Corp camp in December 2005. After just the weekend of practice together, this was what the young musicians accomplished. I was disappointed that Preston decided not to march in the summer of 2006, but I am proud of all the work that he did participating in the band camps. (That is him with the big horns, fifth from the left in the camo shorts.) I have always been a fan of the "big brass sound" and it warms my heart to at least have this little snippet of his work.Preston's high school marching band days are over. The band director that was with there for 13 years left when he could no longer deal with the current school administration.
These days the big horn lives on top of the bookshelf in Preston's room. I am hoping that he will take it up again soon, maybe joining a band when he goes to college.
When I was a kid, I was shy. I didn't speak up at all. When I didn't agree with something, especially in high school, I just shut my mouth and kept my opinion to myself. My son is the exact opposite. When something is wrong (in his opinion) he can't seem to NOT speak out about it. He has been suspended twice in this, his senior year of high school. He is not a bad kid, in fact he is a good son (OK, that's my opinion). He just seems to want to argue with authority. I introduced him to John Cougar Mellencamp's song. "I fought authority - authority always wins!" This still didn't help. He reads a lot about varying political views. He is always espousing different views on socialism, Communism, etc. He brings this rhetoric to school and it gets him in trouble. I have tried to tell him that contrary to popular opinion, there is NO FREE SPEECH in high school. He recently had to attend a MANDATORY pep rally for the high school football team. He and his like minded friend decided to protest this. They yelled to the crowd and called them a bunch of followers - much like those who followed Hitler. He was asked to leave the pep rally (what he wanted in the first place) and later suspended for disrupting a school function. I just want him to get through high school. When he attends college he will have a little more room to express his opinions, a little more free speech. I have tried to explain to him that he won't be going to college unless he avoids getting kicked out of high school! I have been to the Principal's office so many times this year. I never went to the office when I was in high school! Every morning if the phone rings I am nervous that it is the school calling. What next????? Teens are dangerous to your health!
My good friend Steve is taking diving lessons. I am sure he is certified by now. Now tell the truth, if you were a shark and saw this coming at you - would you try to eat him or swim quickly away??? Steve has an adversarial relationship with my dog Ransome. I showed this photo to Ransome, he growled - but then ran to hide!
This is the greeting that you will get at my front door.
Ransome & Buddy guarding the entry!
Hemi must be guarding the back door!!!
"Hello - cable guy!"
My new Sony 46 inch television is obscenely large; but it was the best sale at the recent DeSears "tent sale" - so I bought it! It is a flat screen HDTV and I have never seen a better picture. I am very happy with it, and it looks great even on the channels that are not broadcast in high definition. This was the first television that I bought in 18 years, and I am glad that I got it. My cable TV receiver is on the fritz, so I called them yesterday to schedule a technician. They told me that they could have someone out on Thursday between EIGHT & EIGHT. What? You mean 8 AM to 8 PM? Did someone tell you that I was retired and that I don't have a damn thing better to do than wait for your guy to get here? They said that they were "so sorry" but that was the only time they could give me. So, tomorrow, I will be catching up on your blogs, my blog buddies!
