Adventures & Misadventures of Daily Living

Moments With Joey

2018-12-15T12:54:00.001-07:00

Several of you may know that Jason was about to publish his first book, a collection of his favorite "Moments With Joey" (some stories shared previously on this blog, as well as several new segments) around the time of his death. Its taken quite some time, but I finally felt ready to revisit this project, as well as a few others he had been working on.

Yes, Jason now has his first book published.

It is bittersweet to see this come to being and not have him here to see his joy from all that hard work finally coming to pass.

Can I just imagine this moment for a minute? (Yeah, I know, my Photoshop skills suck, but just roll with it people!)

Jason had a way with words that could capture a moment and infuse it with childlike wonder and delight so real that you could reach out and touch it. As such, I feel it is all the (to quote Jason) "more better" to now be able hold a little piece of that magic in our own hands.

Any proceeds that come from the sale of "Moments With Joey" will go into publishing other books he has worked on, including one some of his old students are well familiar with, "Take The Long Way Home". As planned, "Take The Long Way Home" and "My Brother Ryan" will both be published in 2019. Several children's picture books are planned as well. More on that to come.

With the purchase of the paperback, you will receive a deal to also purchase the eBook version at a discounted rate, perfect for giving or keeping for yourself. The Kindle version is also available to read for free as part of the Kindle Unlimited library (just in case you happen to be a member).

You can find "Moments With Joey" currently on Amazon, or just click the link above. Feel free to comment with some of your favorite Joey moments, or memories of Jason below, as we would love to read them.

Lastly, I get asked about the Joey Dosent Lyke Kittys shirt that Jason used to offer (drawn by his ever-talented sister, Miya Edwards). Yes, the shirts are now available again. Click the link above to be taken to Red Bubble's website where you will find the design available on a variety of shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers and more. As Jason would say, it is all just pure awesomesauce.

I wish you all the best for this holiday season, and joy in the new year to come.

~Shawna

A Message from Jason's Dad

2013-08-11T00:00:00.000-06:00

Please listen to this song by Jason Crabb titled “Somebody Like Me“ and you will have a little understanding of what was going on in Jason’s head as he rode away from Provo, Utah a year ago.

Conversations with Jason

I feel like the person in this song…feeling like I have no hope. The news media has totally destroyed my life, my teaching career has ended , my integrity and honor gone. I’m guilty in the eyes of the world without even a trial. I guess I will know who my true friends are because everyone else will not be around.

This is how Jason felt when he rode away from Utah with his Dad and Mother Patsy just a little over a year ago. We only wished he understood the hundreds of family members and friends that believed in him and loved him and would never forsake him.

It has been a hard year dealing with the lost of a son; closing his estate and working with attorneys, but its finally ending. The Provo Police department has returned all of Jason’s personal items that were taken during the investigation and no incriminating evidence was found that could have convicted him of anything. Even with the many interviews conducted with former students and families nothing was found to convict or darken his name.

Jason told us that he was thankful that there were agents that protected children and watched out for their best interests. He only wished that when a teacher was being investigated, that teacher would not automatically lose his or her job. Jason had told us several times he did not hold anyone from the school district to blame and talked about the good times he had working at Amelia Earhart and all the good friends he had.

Anyone who knew Jason understood how important teaching was to him; standing up for the underdog and watching out for those who bullied. Sometimes it was very difficult with his migraines and the depression to get through the day, but all it took was for a old student to walk into his room and say, "Hi Mr. Z, do you remember me?" Many of these old students would tell him how thankful they were to him for not giving up on them. These words would energize and lift Jason, help him with his depression and give him the encouragement to keep going forward.

Jason would want you to all to know that he is still teaching; just in a new place and he will see everyone again someday.

Please finish this by listening to “Walk on Water“, a song Jason just loved! One does not have to be perfect... just keep doing your best.

Please feel free to respond and let Jason and his parents know what his friends thought of him.

At the end of one journey.....

2012-10-29T20:28:00.000-06:00

There are days when all of this seems unreal. That Jason will walk through the door any minute now, laughing away at how much we fell for this, the ultimate joke.

If it feels this way for those of us who were with him, who held his hand and watched him slip away so quickly, I can only imagine how it is for those who hadn't seen him for awhile.

It is times like this that it all becomes so very real.....

Jason's headstone was installed today at the Pack River Cemetery in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Its a lovely and fitting memorial for one so dear.... his father George Zimmerman and his "other mother" Patsy commissioned this wonderful stone for this, his final resting place.

Thank you also to Jason's dear friends the Hughes and Durrants from Green River, Utah who graciously collected stones from some of Jason's beloved haunts on the San Rafael Swell, as well as to Janelle and Gerb for providing some sweet fall decorations a few weeks ago on their pilgrimage north.

We love you Jason... and we rest assured in the belief that we will see and be with you again. Until then, may we all continue on this adventure called life..... and enjoy every moment that it gives us.

Weekly Kodachrome - Home Away from Home

2012-07-24T22:08:00.002-06:00

It seems that I rarely take photos of myself. This shouldn't come as too much of a revelation...after all, it's hard when you're always on the other end of the camera.

I had the opportunity to be in southern Utah for the past three weeks.

I loved it. In fact, I miss it terribly now. I just can't seem to get enough of the San Rafael Swell area.

Whenever I'm there, my iPod seems to magically gravitate to a Nickel Creek playlist and I'm off, exploring the region so few ever venture into, and see the sights not seen by the majority...only rather by those who share the conviction that not all who wander are lost.

Yes, the desert is my magical place.

Therefore, for this week's Kodachrome, I decided to share a photo I took with one of my best friends, the desert.

And, in addition, I am sharing a photo a friend of mine snapped. Like I said before, I rarely seem to have photos of myself.

Did you take a photo that made you smile? If so, feel free to include it in the linky below.

Remember, by adding your photo into the Weekly Kodachrome meme you are agreeing to do one of the following: display the linky or button to your post, or link back to this post so that everyone gets a little more exposure for the image they’ve uploaded. Those who don’t help to ’share the love’ will have their links removed. You can find the code for the linky here.

You might also want to try Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Show off Your Shot, Your Sunday Best, This or That Thursday, and Community Global for other great photo memes.

Oh, and I did post over at Four Perspectives today...and it's delicious. Seriously delicious.

Weekly Kodachrome - Sunset of Eight

2012-07-19T18:49:00.000-06:00

We explored the deserted missile bases scattered amongst the hillsides of a small southern Utah town. The aged remains stood in silent, mesmerizing awe as we ventured into the structures which had been utilized so many years ago.

As I noticed the sheen of light glossing over the scene before me, I felt the need to take an image reminiscent of that of last year.

I think it turned out well.

You might also want to try Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Show off Your Shot, Your Sunday Best, This or That Thursday, and Community Global for other great photo memes.

Weekly Kodachrome - Kolob Canyons

2012-07-18T14:32:00.001-06:00

The heat was merciless in the heart of the valley, topping out at a whopping 107 degrees Fahrenheit. The sweltering temperature was even worse as I climbed into my car; I felt akin to an ultimate supreme pizza trapped in a stone oven.

I started the ignition, and drove the countless miles towards Zion National Park. The warm boils of air whipped away the blistering heat somewhat.

I took an impromptu detour and soon found myself climbing the hills and mountains toward Kolob Canyon Reservoir. As I ascended the knolls and prominences, the temperature dropped remarkably. I watched my digital thermometer fall nearly thirty degrees.

All of the windows came down, and I wriggled my fingers in the coolness.

The photo opp. the fields and hills provided? Another type of cool, but still cool nonetheless.

You might also want to try Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Show off Your Shot, Your Sunday Best, This or That Thursday, and Community Global for other great photo memes.

Weekly Kodachrome - Weathering the Storm

2012-07-17T12:12:00.001-06:00

I switched off the music as I drove the lonely expanse of Highway 6, beyond Price. The surging grayness above me loomed threateningly as I flew past the low-lying mesas and the arroyos that were teeming with flood flow—undoubtedly from the storm further up and farther in.

Jags of lighting split the sky like a baseball a window, and the peal of thunder rolled along the desert floor like a jet continually breaking the sound barrier.

As I crossed into the vortextual tempest, rain plastered against my windshield and it was nearly all my feeble wipers could do to cut through it, to keep visibility at a bare minimum. I slowed my speed as the rain slashed even harder at the windows like something from a National Geographic documentary. It felt like being trapped under an ocean that was being dropped from the heavens.

The minutes ticked on. The rain came greater still, with flashes of lightning—and then before I knew it—I broke from the tempest, and a few miles onward, patches of indigo broke through the grayness.

The world was again calm.

The music was restored, and I continued my journey onward.

You might also want to try Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Show off Your Shot, Your Sunday Best, This or That Thursday, and Community Global for other great photo memes.

Weekly Kodachrome - Missile Base Sunset

2012-07-16T16:21:00.002-06:00

We took the drive up the southeasterly hills overlooking the valley. We poked around the remnants of the missile bases - peering into aged buildings and places that were deserted long ago.

As we checked the final launch site on our schedule for the evening, the sun dipped itself into the creamed clouds of the distant skyline and we all stood, caught in awe, as it increasingly drenched the landscape in its richness.

Did you take a photo that made you smile? If so, feel free to include it in the linky below.

You might also want to try Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Show off Your Shot, Your Sunday Best, This or That Thursday, and Community Global for other great photo memes.

Media of the Week - Dora the Explorer - Search for the Infinity Orb

2012-07-13T12:29:00.000-06:00

Every once and a while, a movie comes along that completely blows you away...

...this is that movie.

You probably already guessed that this isn't for a real movie, but wouldn't it be great if it was?

Weekly Kodachrome - Canyons

2012-07-09T15:41:00.002-06:00

I took a long drive yesterday, and found myself surrounded by these mountains that I love so much. It was a nice respite, and I basked in their majesticness dappled in the veiled afternoon light. As the magic of the music playing surrounded me, I knew that I was home.

Did you take a photo that made you smile? If so, feel free to include it in the linky below.

You might also want to try Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Show off Your Shot, Your Sunday Best, This or That Thursday, and Community Global for other great photo memes.

Three Years

2012-07-08T11:44:00.005-06:00

It’s strange to think that that much time has passed—to the day from that day.

I’ll never forget that ill-fated call that came from my dad, telling me to get home as quickly as I could.

I remember driving that long, arduous journey, and the reflections I had while making the road trip back over a twelve-hour period, the miles stretching away beneath the tires as I pushed northward.

I recalled the next few weeks, and the events that transpired while I was away from home: the laughter, the tears, and the hollow emptiness that was left behind in its torturous wake.

Each and every one of us is limited.

Our days are numbered.

When will play that final coda of the symphony known as life?

Nobody knows. For each of us, it’s different.

Our lives are controlled by the complex workings of the hands of fate, and her infinite wisdom of mortal coil.

Today, I’m going to head to the canyons I love so much—my second home, if you will. I will play the music I seldom listen to because of its incredible power to bring back the events of those days with crystalline clarity. I will stay as long as I want and again feel the moments.

But the one moment I still wish to find, is hope.

I love you, Mom.

Childhood

2012-06-26T23:38:00.001-06:00

It really doesn't seem like it was all that long ago, does it?

It's funny how time slips steadily onward.

How we grow a little bit each day.

Suddenly, before we know it,

we're adults.

But still children still at heart...

I heart Faces

Weekly Kodachrome - Hot Wheels ™

2012-06-25T00:01:00.001-06:00

While many different photographs could claim the spot of this week's Weekly Kodachrome, this particular image seemed to reach out to me...especially as I took it while traveling to southern Utah just yesterday.

I saw the billows of black smoke reaching to the heavens from a mile or two away on the distant stretch of I-15. A moment before, a police vehicle had blazed by me as if I were at a standstill, lights and siren indicating that he had someplace to get to - and quickly

My breath caught in my lungs as I neared the fiery inferno that had once been a vehicle. I thought of the passengers, hoping upon hope that they'd managed to escape from the blazing confines in time. I drove through the plumes of throat-choking fumes, my vehicle was momentarily shielded from the sun; I then noticed the driver, standing forty or fifty feet away, watching as his mode of transportation incinerated itself.

I pulled over and watched for a moment as two firetrucks came charging to the rescue, hosing down the molten vehicle before the gas tank had a chance to explode.

I lifted my camera and let the shutter fly.

Did you take a photo that made you smile? If so, feel free to include it in the linky below.

You might also want to try Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Show off Your Shot, Your Sunday Best, This or That Thursday, and Community Global for other great photo memes.

The Project

2012-06-23T17:24:00.000-06:00

Updated 6/23/2021

As I mentioned in the previous post, I’m working on a little project and I’d love to include YOU in it.

Now, I know what you’re probably thinking, Teachinfourth, you’ve been so hush-hush with this whole thing anyway…just what the heck is it? Well, I’m not going to tell you just now—that’s just how it goes with the things you want to make sure are awesome before you tell the whole world about them.

So, what did I need from you?

What I’m looking for are your original quotes to sprinkle throughout my little endeavor.

It was this morning that I realized that some of you might not be comfortable sharing your personal made-up quotes on a Facebook page, or might not even have joined the social medium as of yet (oh, I think your pager just went off).

To remedy this, I would like to invite you to submit your original quotes to this project that will allow you to be a part of something bigger than any of us are alone. You are more than welcome to submit them in the comments section here or—if you’re feeling a little bit better about it this way—drop me an email with them at teachinfourth@yahoo.com.

I would love for them to be thoughtful, funny, or just plain, ‘you.’

Since I hope to get far more quotes that I could use (because you’re going to step it up, right?) For those quotes that are a little bit too difficult for me to decide between, I will have an impartial party do the dirty work.

So, now…are you ready?

Here are just a few of the categories that I’m still looking for quotes in:

being attractive
being hilarious
dreams
nightmares
daylight savings
deeply thinking
something annoying
milk cartons
breakfast
getting stung
money
being bored
genes or brains
music
popularity
unicorns
camping
Hogwarts
board games
driving
geysers
something ghetto
being a new student
book reports
something creepy
hot dogs
competing
winning
defense mechanisms of creatures
monsters
locked doors
Christmas gifts
being cold, snow, or winter
being mistaken for another person
gratitude
homework in school
problems
punishment
making a confession
embarrassing songs
cell phones
real men and pink
diminishing return

I'd like quotes perhaps something like these:

I go to school, but I never learn what I want to know.”

― Bill Watterson

It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn’t.

— Barbara Kingsolver

As far as I’m concerned, if something is so complicated that you can’t explain it in 10 seconds, then it’s probably not worth knowing anyway.

― Bill Watterson

My report card always said, ‘Jim finishes first and then disrupts the other students’.

— Jim Carrey

After a fellow gets famous it doesn’t take long for someone to bob up that used to sit by him in school.

— Kin Hubbard

Remember, these can even be quotes made up by your children, grandparents, or that eccentric aunt that is closeted up in your attic.

In advance,

Thank you.

Media of the Week - Call Me, Maybe

2012-06-22T16:53:00.001-06:00

There are songs people introduce us to. We listen to them and think, “Wow, this song is amazing!”

Some time later we hear the original artist, and we realize that the song we’d been listening to was simply a cover. Yet, we still like the cover better than the artist who originally performed it.

Alex Goot and company owned this…sorry Carly.

By the way, I set the timecode to start at the beginning of the song so you're missing out on the first 42 seconds of dialogue.

The Project - I Need Your Help...

2012-06-20T01:04:00.006-06:00

A full list of topics may be seen here.

Hello, my friends.

I’m currently working on a little project, but what I need is your help. What I’m asking you to do is to make up either funny or serious quotes on certain subjects that I’ll be posting several times a day on both my main Facebook page and blog fan page. I will continue to do this until I have enough of the quotes I need. (I will be asking for help thirty or forty times).

Why am I asking you to do this? Well, first off, I’d like to have you all involved in my project—and second—if I use quotes by famous people without permission, it’s most likely a violation of copyright.

If you would like to submit a quote, two, three, or even more on any given subject, that would be appreciated. I’ll be using the quotes that best fit the subject matter (and by posting your made-up quote, you are giving me permission to use it). I will—of course—give you credit by first name if I use your quote in the project.

Please don’t be offended if yours isn’t chosen, but be creative and keep on submitting them. Ask your grandparents to make something up, your kids, or somebody else you think could come up with a good one. Just make sure that you provide their name (the first is all I need) if you’re submitting one for them.

Remember though, I can’t use quotes by famous people…I need your quotes!

I’m sure this goes without saying, but please keep your quotes to a G or PG rating.

Below are some of the quotes I wanted to use, but like I said before, copyright violations aren't any fun.

Oh, and I will be deleting the posts on Facebook a few hours/a day after I post them so that they aren't cumbering up the pages. I will copy over the quotes that are the most applicable.

“We spend the first twelve months of our children’s lives teaching them to walk and talk, and the next twelve years telling them to sit down and shut up.”

— Phyllis Diller

“When a teacher calls a boy by his entire name it means trouble.”

— Mark Twain

“Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only that the cat died nobly.”

— Arnold Edinborough

“I go to school, but I never learn what I want to know.”

― Bill Watterson

“I think you learn more if you’re laughing at the same time.”

― Mary Ann Shaffer

“I’d hate to have a kid like me.”

― Bill Watterson

“Life’s disappointments are harder to take when you don’t know any swear words.”

― Bill Watterson

“Girls are like slugs—they probably serve some purpose, but it’s hard to imagine what.”

― Bill Watterson

“If good things lasted forever, would we appreciate how precious they are?”

― Bill Watterson

“The way Calvin’s brain is wired you can almost hear the fuses blowing.”

― Bill Watterson

There’s no problem so awful, that you cant add some guilt to it and make it even worse.

― Bill Watterson

Careful. We don’t want to learn from this.

― Bill Watterson

Years from now, when I’m successful and happy, ...and he’s in prison... I hope I’m not too mature to gloat.

― Bill Watterson

As far as I’m concerned, if something is so complicated that you can’t explain it in 10 seconds, then it’s probably not worth knowing anyway.

― Bill Watterson

You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocket ship underpants don’t help.

― Bill Watterson

I hate to think that all my current experiences will someday become stories with no point.

― Bill Watterson

An autobiography is a book a person writes about his own life and it is usually full of all sorts of boring details.

— Roald Dahl

I am only 8 years old, I told myself. No little boy of 8 has ever murdered anyone. It’s not possible.

— Roald Dahl

I’ve never let my school interfere with my education.

— Mark Twain

I’m not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did.

— Yogi Berra

If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers.

— Edgar W. Howe

The only difference between me and a madman is that I’m not mad.

— Salvador Dali

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.

— Franklin P. Jones

Do you know what breakfast cereal is made of? It’s made of all those little curly wooden shavings you find in pencil sharpeners!”

― Roald Dahl

Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.

― Roald Dahl

My report card always said, ‘Jim finishes first and then disrupts the other students’.

— Jim Carrey

A characteristic of the normal child is he doesn’t act that way very often.

— Author Unknown

Children need love, especially when they do not deserve it.

— Harold Hulbert

It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn’t.

— Barbara Kingsolver

Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t come to yours.

— Yogi Berra

When I get into trouble at school I’d like to take an invisibility cloak, drape it over me and sneak out the door. Or I’d like to have a 3 headed-dog because then no one would argue with me.

— Daniel Radcliffe

If you had asked me back in grade school what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have said my first choice was an actor, but if I couldn’t be that, I’d want to be a superhero.

— Vin Diesel

After a fellow gets famous it doesn’t take long for someone to bob up that used to sit by him in school.

— Kin Hubbard

We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers - but never blame yourself. It’s never your fault. But it’s always your fault, because if you wanted to change you’re the one who has got to change.

— Katharine Hepburn

Weekly Kodachrome - Distant Roads

2012-06-18T08:59:00.003-06:00

I am going to be honest here...it's been busy for the past few weeks. My blog has suffered for true writing effort lately; however, there's a great reason.

I'll tell you later.

I've been so busy that I have only taken out my camera once this week, and that was for a shoot - not for fun. I missed the Weekly Kodachrome last week as well. Instead of forgoing it altogether, I thumbed through a few shots and saw this one. This was taken about two years ago when Arlene was taken ill. I remember jumping in my car - just needing to get away - and taking roads I'd never before traveled. I wasn't concerned about getting lost, because I didn't care.

I remember getting out of my car and standing on a long stretch of highway and watching the sun set. There was an ant hill nearby because I remember them crawling up my legs when I stood in one place too long.

The sun was just finishing it's day and melting the skyline.

As I watched it, I thought about endings - and beginnings which were one day sure to be. I thought about dreams I've had...and seemingly set on the back burner for another lifetime. Yet, later never seems to arrive and we set our aspirations on that dusty shelf time and time again.

Oh, I'm much too busy, we say.

And we are. But if it's really important to us, shouldn't we put in a little more effort?

In a week or two I'll probably let you in on what has been keeping me busy, but until then...follow your dreams, even if you're afraid that you might be wandering unfamiliar roads.

If the journey were worth starting, then it's probably worth finishing as well.

Did you take a photo that made you smile? If so, feel free to include it in the linky below.

You might also want to try Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Show off Your Shot, Your Sunday Best, This or That Thursday, and Community Global for other great photo memes.

Media of the Week - Ordinary People

2012-06-15T15:01:00.000-06:00

There are those things in life that inspire you. They push you to want to be greater than who you currently are. They motivate you to do something, to rise above and achieve that which you thought perhaps unattainable before. They cause you to look at your dreams.

We do not do these things for accolades from the crowds, nor for the public hailing of our achievements.

We do this for only one person…ourselves.

Moments with Joey - License to Drive

2012-06-06T22:03:00.001-06:00

SCENE 1, INTERIOR. AFTERNOON, CLASSROOM. The class has left for the day; the teacher is packing up his items to go. As he slides his computer into the case, a fifth grade boy ‘drives’ around the classroom on the teacher’s wheeled chair. He is making ‘vrooming’ noises as he does so.

JOEY: Are you driving home tonight, Mr. Z?

TEACHER: Yep.

JOEY: You know, if you wanted, I could drive you…

TEACHER: Wouldn’t you need a license to drive, Joey?

[The boy grins].

JOEY: Oh, I’ve got a license, Mr. Z.

TEACHER: Really?

JOEY: Yep, I got it when I was ten.

TEACHER: A license for what?

JOEY: Driving you crazy.

[Pause].

TEACHER: Yeah, isn’t that the truth…

[Fade to black].

Weekly Kodachrome - The Pitcher

2012-06-03T14:38:00.003-06:00

“The pitcher is the most important player on the field, and on his skills and judgement depends half the battle in a match.”

- Henry Chadwick

Standing alone on the mound
The ball is cradled in my hand
My mitt - with its smell of worn leather
It fills my nostrils with memory
The batter approaches
He stands at home plate
A look of determination fills his eyes
The thrill of the game pulses inside me
I lean back on one leg
The ball is fired from my hand
Like a rocket, it speeds onward
I hear the swoosh of the bat
It cuts the empty air

One.
Two.
Three strikes.

My dad calls my name from the stands.
I pause, wave, and smile.

Baseball.

If you'd like to see the rest of the shots from this particular series, they may be viewed here. Also, it appears that Mindy and Rachel were the two winners from the photography contest. If you both would please send me an email to let me know the shot you'd like and the size thereof, I'd be grateful.

Did you take a photo that made you smile? If so, feel free to include it in the linky below.

You might also want to try Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Show off Your Shot, Your Sunday Best, and Community Global for other great photo memes.

Baseball on the Block

2012-06-01T18:50:00.000-06:00

My friend's son wanted me to attend this baseball game a few days ago. I couldn't help but snap a few photos while I was there. However, it makes me wish I'd brought my powerful zoom lens along.

Hot Lava Morning

2012-05-30T12:03:00.000-06:00

Do you remember back to the days when you would leap from the pieces of furniture in your house to avoid the floor, which was made completely out of ‘hot lava’? It seems that everyone knows what you’re talking about when you say ‘hot lava,’ don’t they? We never played ‘cold lava,’ either; it always had to be hot. Of course, if it were ‘cold lava’ we'd simply call it rock jumping…or parkour.

I woke this morning to the strangest feeling—like back in the days when I’d played that game as a kid. It was hastened even further when my friend’s kids began to play ‘lava monster’ throughout their house. As their screams and laughter filled the air I was taken back.

I guess every boy (and probably girl) has played this game at one time; sometimes, I miss the days when you could play like this and not worry about breaking the furniture.

Images from toothpastefordinner.com & stories.mountainworkshops.org/

Weekly Kodachrome - Book Cliffs

2012-05-28T11:19:00.000-06:00

The light played off the clouds and distant cliffs as the highway stretched off into the vast expanse of the San Rafael Swell desert, like a road leading into tomorrow. I watched the puffs of gray and white drift lazily onward and finally pulled to the side of the road to gaze at these textures of light; These are the moments that truly pen a life.

Did you take a photo that made you smile? If so, feel free to include it in the linky below.

You might also want to try Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Show off Your Shot, Your Sunday Best, and Community Global for other great photo memes.

Starfish

2012-05-25T22:48:00.000-06:00

There is a story you’ve probably been privy to sometime in your life. In fact, I can remember writing a post about it a few years ago. The basic idea is that of a man walking along the beach; he notices a boy picking up starfish. These creatures are slowly withering in the sun, so the boy tosses them back into the ocean where they can survive. When the man gives the boy the news that even his best efforts will be in vain—that there are simply far too many starfish to even begin to think that he could make a difference—the boy tells the man about how change comes to each as an individual.

As a teacher, each year I feel that I am that boy. I walk along the beach throughout the days, and I throw starfish into the vast ocean of knowledge. I relish in the thought that—while in my classroom—they are becoming so much more than what they once were. That they are being instilled with basic things that will help them to become who it is that they will one day be.

I’ve noticed that there seems to be a group of starfish that I have to keep throwing back into the ocean. Then, despite my best efforts to keep them in a place where they can survive, these same creatures crawl out of the life-sustaining waters and lie on the scorching sand where they again begin to wither away.

I pick them up over and over, throwing them into the blue waters; then, before I know it, they are again crawling out. My strength is redoubled as I center my attention these half-dozen starfish that seem to have a secret death wish.

It’s exhausting.

I also discovered that I usually don’t give near enough attention to those starfish that are floating about in the shallows, and nearly nothing to those who are out in the depths. After all, I know that those starfish will be okay. These are the urchins that will make it. These are they who will survive.

The school year ended today. My two and one-half dozen students left the classroom. They had walked in this morning as fifth graders, and left as sixthers. An entire year had flown by as fleetingly as the tide.

As they filed past me, I handed them their classroom placements for next year, and I looked at each one of them as an individual starfish. I thought of the progress each of them had made—or hadn’t made—during the year. I looked at those I had worked the hardest with—but who still left the classroom pretty much the same way as they came in. Despite my best efforts, these were they who were content to laze in the blistering sands.

It was hard to watch them leave, knowing that in nine months I had so little effect them; that they were so obstinate that they were happy staying the exact same as they were.

As a teacher, I want all of my students to be successful. I want them all to achieve. I want them all to thirst for knowledge. I want them all to want to give nothing but their personal best.

Sadly, this is not to be.

Over the years I’ve learned that each must decide on their own what it is that they will do and who they will become. When I talked with a friend earlier tonight, she spoke about measuring successes in life not solely on the outcome, but on the efforts put into the endeavor—our partial successes and achievements. We should never feel that our energies are wasted when trying to help another.

As a teacher, I want my students to achieve. I would love for each of them to always do their personal best, and I will continue to help them as best as I can.

I am a thrower of starfish.

Even to those who don’t like the ocean.

Media of the Week - How it Should Have Ended

2012-05-25T17:37:00.002-06:00

I've been watching these great little videos for a few years now - the following are some of my favorites. Also, if you haven't heard of the How it Should Have Ended series, it's about time that you did.