Those who know this man know a person who was full of joy, peace, compassion, patience, laughter, acceptance and comfort.  He truly knew how to welcome the stranger.  As a rebellious teen this man showed me balance that no other parent could get across to me…I spent many times at his house as a friend of his daughters, but felt  more like his own child…I know I am not alone…As I grew into adulthood many small truths this man modeled became real in my life….I remember his t-shirt that said “visualize world peas” …such a small slice of humor that has a larger resonance…I remember acting silly and knowing that it was ok…I remember sitting down to dinner for long meals filled with laughter…I remember his love for people and all beings such as dogs, cats and even Julie’s snake…I remember back yard bbq’s and volley ball…I remember kids entertaining the adults and the adults entertaining the kids…I remember peaceful meditations in the living room…I remember the only friend’s dad who called me “big perm” and he would answer to the name “homey”…I remember times when we should have been in trouble but we were loved…I remember when I did wrong he accepted and modeled what was right…I could type on for hours all that I remember about Michael Plemons, but I will never forget his smile and ability to listen from the heart…

During this time of grief I realize that I am not alone…We are all going to die because it is inevitable…Life is a process of living on several levels…We live physically, mentally, socially, spiritually…All of these levels of life connect us to others…It helps us bond with others and create relationships…It also unites us through common experiences and interest…We then begin to be changed by one another…the journey continues and everyday changes us into someone else…We can’t take back yesterday, we can’t change what has happened in our past, but we can remember…

Remembering brings us a sense of peace, it can also bring us sorrow…Remembering can brings us laughter, it can also bring us tears…Remembering can take us from the now, it can also bring us to the reality…There is something about remembering that brings life to those being remembered…Our spirits are still connected, our shared experiences are still real, our relationship is still living yet somewhat changed…

This is why we share…My grandmother died before I was born, but I know her through the stories my mother has shared…Those who are close to me may have never met my cousin Ches but they know him through me…Each person we meet shares a small piece of themselves with us…This is what we remember…This is also what we share…this is how we keep the dead alive…through memories, stories and conversations

It is not easy, but neither is living…Each day life brings us something new…Sometimes we prefer the old, but have no choice but to carry forward…Somehow moving on we become newer people, our world view is broadened…Our faith or lack of faith is increased…Our purpose becomes more clear…”Why do we look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5) …simply because if it were not for the dead we would not be LIVING….

Has the modern marvel of technology changed the way kids learn and interact with others? This is going to be a question that I ponder for the next several months…I plan to explore and research in the classroom as I teach this semester…I plan to use older traditional teaching methods and more modern methods then compare the differences…I am somewhat excited, but completely unaware of what outcomes will be…

When I decided to work in an administrative position I made a vow to myself that I never want to loose the ability to connect with students. In my experience in education it has been obvious when an administrator has lost their connection to the students…So this semester I agreed to teach an adjunct guided studies course every Saturday from 9am to 1pm…

I must say I still remain student centered. It is always a joy to see former students and see them achieving at the college level. I have also served as an advisor to a student organization…I also must admit that I get frustrated when a student just shows up unannounced needing my assistance…It is sometimes hard to drop all that I am doing to listen and help them…But sometimes getting side tracked by a student helps me stay grounded and reminds me that students are the most important part of education…

As I plan my semester to teach after being out of the classroom for 2 years I am somewhat nervous that I do not have what it takes anymore…I love hands on collaborative learning…now being forced to using learning webs, online forums, and media resources somewhat has me flustered…I see this as a great challenge and an experience to grow…

My deep inner voice makes me instantly concerned with the voice I have been giving to random people on Facebook, Twitter, and Google + …I am also aware that my last several post on thenxtlevel are attempts to detox from social media…I do not want to sound cynical, but I am no longer interested in letting you know what is on my menu, what my next vacation is or where I am checked in….I plan to live in the moment and devote all of my time to those who make a point to interact with me in real time…

What are you posting? Is it really how you feel and who you are , or is it what you want people to think?

I also try to stay current with news and current events…I was screaming Yes We Can in 2008 and still remain optimistic about the future of America dispite the crazy party politics which seems to be the current trend in 2011.

I got so caught up in social media overload that I forgot my username and password to thenxtlevel.  I recieved an email from a represative from the hosting firm who was able to reset the username and password for me.  I am bummed that I let this site go by the way side and have strayed away from writing…I plan to unplug and get back to meaningful and creative writing….More to come….Cheers