Googling Around

Recently in a fit of boredom I decided to Google myself. I found that there are several somewhat famous (within their own circle) people out there with my name. However, I claim ownership of my name because all those sudo famous people seem to be younger than I am. After searching through several pages of Google listings including websites about musicians, doctors and film makers I gave up. I then attached "teacher" to my name and there I was #1 in the Google hall of fame. I can now be relatively sure that I am the most famous teacher with my name. Go me!
After I enjoyed seeing my name in the world of Google I started to search for other friends. It is weird to find someone I know out there in 0 and 1 land (I am not computer genius but I have been told that all computer program is built on ones and zeros. If you have questions about this ask someone besides me.). I soon ran out of names, don't make fun of me for having few friends to Google, so I started to search for names from my past. Of course Winnie's* came up. She is quite famous mostly because of an odd field of work, her athletic skill and her very odd maiden name (which could never be used if she was a teacher). Without looking for it, her phone number popped up. What is strange is that it is under her maiden name. Seeing her maiden named phone listing made me curious so I Googled her husband. He popped up a state away. So thoughts of divorce came into mind. There is a logical explanation for this, she is finishing school soon and he has graduated. He could have moved for the job, it is just a state away. Her maiden name listing could have been left over from her single days. Also my gut tells me that it is unlikely she would get a divorce, especially after such a short period. I could however be wrong.
So perplexing thoughts have traveled through my mind of how to figure out if she is divorced. (1) I could email her and ask "how it is hanging", not necessarily using those terms. This is strange idea to me. I wouldn't want an X of my spouse (if I had one) emailing her at all. I felt strange Googling her, emailing her to find out her marital status is even more weird. Although she did basicaly say she wanted to stay friends when she announced her engagement to me. I was the one who said goodbye. (2) I could call her at her maiden name phone listing. OK that isn't going to happen. (3) I could be patient and see if she moves to the next door state or not. (4) I could see if I could find a divorce record in her state. (5) Or I could do nothing and let things go. If she is divorced I would at least like to have a nice conversation with her.
So which is it Blogosphere? The Blogosphere being the .412 people who read this every month. The best response gets a quarter*.
* The quarter being an imaginary one that you can only spend on imaginary stuff at my niece's imaginary grocery story. The good news is, you would be surprised how much stuff she will sell you for an imaginary quarter.
Googling with WONDER...
Kevin

Time to look back....

I have been thinking about some of my past posts. As life goes on little updates need to be made but nothing significant enough for an entire post. Kinda like that stuff news stations scroll across the bottom of the screen, not big enough for the news cast but still important. So here is the scroll of my life in recent weeks.
The Summer Eleven: So far I have done pretty well, even though I have fallen off the wagon these last couple days. I will write a full update after summer ends, which is not now, even though people are trying to convince me that it is. I am thinking about writing a winter list of things to do.
25 Blog Posts: I am getting there. I like having a number of posts to write because it makes me look at things a bit differently. Adding posts to this blog will be put on my winter list.
So I Hear You Are Curious: I was thinking this is an inaccurate title for this post. Can anyone be curious when few/no one reads this blog. If you are out there, say hi. I'll give you a quarter.
Wondrous Words: Still love the quote, and recently used it in a letter to some fellow teachers.
A Hiking Ago I Went: I have been thinking about hiking a lot lately. Don't know why. I would love to go on a fall hike.
Who Doesn't Like A Good Lists: I am discovering lists are powerful in my life. I think I may have to use them more.
Commas: A teacher has already suggested that I use Eat, Shoots and Leaves. I knew teachers would pounce all over the book.
Conquering Africa: The entire project is done and it looks darn good.
Wooter: I bought my first Woot! I thought about buying today's but decided to save my money.
Feelings: Two more Winnie* connections occurred recently. Strange, I go years without mentioning her (out loud I mean) and then people bring up things.
Scrolling with WONDER....
Kevin

When Marry Came for a Visit

I have often been asked why I became a teacher. I think people ask this because they have a hard time picturing me as a teacher. This question almost exclusively comes from people who knew me when I was younger and have never seen me in the classroom. I think it is easy for people to understand why I became a teacher if they actually see me in front of students. I am lucky enough for most of my teaching skills to have come naturally.
My standard answer is a long story that I try to make as short as possible. Basically a cousin who knew that I was struggling to find a major in college told me to just pick something and see if I liked it. After trying a couple things I happened upon teaching and things just fell into place. I am very lucky to have "accidentally" found my passion and cherish the advice my cousin gave me. I think it applies to much more than picking a major in college and I have repeated the advice whenever I have gotten the chance.
But the truth is there is another story. When I was struggling with my career decision I remember thinking one night in bed, I wish God would give me a sign of what I should do with my life. I rarely remember dreams, but that night I did. I remember dreaming about a lady and asking someone who she was. This someone said, "She is Marry" as in the mother of Jesus. Then Marry told me I should become a teacher. I am Catholic and believe in my religion. However, I appreciate other religions and think they have something to offer. This Marry visit is very special to me (obviously). It is always a affirmation if a doubt about teaching enters my mind.
I don't tell many people this side of my "Why I Became a Teacher" story. Honestly I think I am embarrassed to tell people I made such a big decision because of a dream. But after writing this I think I should tell more people the story. After all why should anyone be embarrassed because the mother of Jesus came for a visit?
A story that always makes me WONDER...
Kevin

I'll pay for that...

Things I would pay to have done...
^ My laundry - I hate doing it and put it off until I run out of underwear.
^ The Dishes - I am in desperate need of a dishwasher
^ Actually all house cleaning - I have a relatively clean house but I don't look forward to cleaning it
^ To find me a date - If it was the right woman I would dip deeply into my savings
^ Cut my grass - although I would still like to occasionaly go out and do it myself - I like the satisfaction of a freshly cut lawn
^ Have a personal driver - Although I love to drive, but some days it would be nice to relax on the way to or from school
^ Being able to teach - I am lucky enough to enjoy what I do and would miss it, but don't tell my school district, they just might charge me to teach
Things I wouldn't pay to have done....
^ Cooking - a meal tastes better when you cook it yourself
^ Exercise - Even if it was possible I still would want to do it myself, not that I am an exercise fan but I think it helps me mentally more the physically
^ Writing my daily thoughts - even if someone could write them down I would rather do it myself because the writing causes a significant amount of the reflection
^ To find me a date - I know this was mentioned above, but I would have a hard time telling the story about how we met, if I have to tell the true story I'll keep my money and invest it in a bluechip
^ Fly a helicopter to the top of a mountain - it's so much more rewarding to hike up the mountain
^ Erase selected memories, even the bad ones - All memories are important and have given me wisdom
With WONDER...
Kevin

Feelings....

Sometimes I get feelings. These feelings are hard to explain but they have a connection to the future. For instance when I was a teenager I once "predicted" the name of a girl that was moving in up the street from me. I also "predicted" the post grad college of choice of a close friend before I even knew anything about where she might end up at. I actually hate the word prediction because I don't think of them that way. I much prefer the word feeling because the word seems less voluntary. How it feels to have the feeling is hard to explain. It just something I know to be true before it happens. Most of them, if not all, are smaller things but have a bigger meaning to me. I can't control them and glad I can't. I wouldn't want to be able to think to myself, "What is my feeling about this subject?" and then make a prediction. I usually keep my feelings to myself and can only think of a single instance that I shared one. That feeling eventually became reality even though it was something I didn't really want to happen.
One of the more common types of feelings I get is about seeing people I haven't seen in a long time at a certain location or time. Over the past few months I have had a "feeling" that I would see Winnie*. She lives a couple states away from me but her parents still live close. Today while eating lunch I look across the restaurant I see Winnie's* mom. I wasn't for sure if it was her at first (I have a terrible time recognizing people from my past) but soon I was sure of the sighting. This was the first time in over 3 years I have seen anyone related to the Winnie*. I am sure this is what my feeling was about. You might think that this isn't much of a prediction but it works for me. Like I said its hard to describe what the feeling is.
By the time I was sure it was Winnie's* mom she was already outside heading to her car. Even if I had more of an opportunity I probably would not have said anything to her. Although honestly I would have liked to say hi and wished Winnie* my best. If it was Winnie* herself I would have certainly said hi. I have made a promise to myself that I will say hi if I ever see Winnie* out. I don't know why it is so important that I say hi, but it is.
Oddly the first thing that came to my mind when I was sure about Winnie's* mom identity was, wow this will be something I'll have to write about. Later on I "wondered" if the mom recognized me and would she say anything to Winnie*. Regardless my feeling and today's experience made me smile.
Feeling with WONDER...
Kevin

Hello my name is Kevin and I am a Wooter.....

I have an addiction. There is not too many side affects but my addiction makes me stay up way too late when I have to get up early the next morning, such as tomorrow morning. Not too long ago I stumbled upon woot.com. The concept of the website is that they mostly sell only one item a day. If that item sells out a new item isn't posted until the following day. The items are changed at 1AM (midnight central). Because of this most nights this summer (including tonight) I have been staying up long past what I consider a normal bedtime. Somewhat puzzling, I have yet to buy anything. It is more the excitement of seeing the new item pop up while most normal people are in bed.
The holy grail of woot.com is the B O C (Bag of Crap) in which they will send you a random assortment of goodies for $1. The possibility of BOC is more than enough to keep me up, avoiding sleep until I get to see what new gadget they are offering.
I encourage you to check woot out. Maybe we can do a 12 step program together.
Wooting with WONDER...
Kevin

Book #3 in the Summer 11

I have been reading The Purpose Driven Life for the past couple of weeks. It is part of my Summer 11. The book had been sitting on a shelf for a couple of years and it seemed like a fitting book to read for the Summer 11. The book surprised me a bit. I thought it was about answers but so far I have found more questions than answers. Although I think questions can be as powerful as answers.
I am not a fundamentalist Christian, although I am catholic. Rightly or wrongly I tend to look at a broader picture. I think most faiths have something to offer. For instance I could marry a Jewish girl and possibly raise my kids Jewish while still believing in what I do now. Because of this I am reading this book more to get perspective on things and to see what I can learn from a stricter Christian faith.
Hopefully by the end of the book I come closer to knowing what my "purpose" is. I am thinking everyone's purpose is to live your life for god. I think this makes pretty much sense. The cool thing about this is that most religions have at least one god so this idea could be universal.
The book also talks a bit about listening to god. How does one do that? Is it that gut feeling I get? Is it those stray thoughts that past through my mind? I am not for sure. I tend to lead life through my gut. I get feelings and go with it. It is hard to explain. Is this god talking to me?
Thoughts filled with WONDER...
Kevin

Conquering Africa

Imagine a rock the size of Africa.

Ok so maybe not the size of Africa, but certainly the shape of Africa. Such a rock has been sitting in my back yard waiting to be removed these last few weeks. This African rock was more standing than sitting since it was resting perpendicular in the ground. At first I thought it was just a regular large rock waiting to be moved. I brought my mannly shovel out and started to dig around the tip (think Algeria) and could wiggle it a bit. Because of this I thought I would have the African rock out with not much effort, after all I have dealt with many state worthy rocks in the past. I had no idea I was dealing with much more than a state or even a country in the rock that was poking through my back yard. As I dug I soon discovered that my manly shovel was not enough so I called in reinforcements from my Dad's shed with an even more manly six foot long metal pry bar and a 5 lb. sledge hammer. I hoped to pry it out of the ground but its' girth was deceiving. After digging a bit the sledge was tempting me so I soon made the African rock into several Egypt, Sudan and Congo pieces and even more Gambia pieces. There is nothing much more manly for a elementary teacher than when he swings a sledge hammer. It was quite fun. But after the first round of sledge swinging there were several more rounds of digging followed by even more sledging. After 2 hours of work the African rock was resting over the hill in separate country piles so they can all get along peacefully.
With African WONDER...
Kevin

I knew I Lost When...

A few weeks ago I was with a group of friends doing our normal friend thing. I sometimes have ideological disagreements with one of the friends there. She is a good person in all and has a good heart, but my heart cringes at some of the things she says. At the friend get together Winnie2* (she has the same name as the WINNIE*) said "I have never met a (insert her daughter's name here) that I have liked." Now I know she was being sarcastic but it still made me cringe. So without thinking I said back, "I have never met a Winnie* that I liked" in an attempt to prove a point. Right when I said it I knew I lost. My point was very easily ignored. It was too easy for her to bring up Winnie* which she did immediately. If I remember correctly she was lightly chastised by other friends. But honestly I deserved it. I should have bit my lip.
This was the first time in many years Winnie's* name was mentioned. I really didn't acknowledge it. But it was still strange to hear my friends mention the long ago relationship. I have to admit it kinda shook me and I think my friends could tell. I tend to keep my Winnie* thoughts closed to the outside world, well except for this very public forum.
With WONDER...
Kevin

A Mountain View For August

I flipped my calendar today to see the landscape for August. I tend to buy calendars with views of mountains and such. Today I see a large lichen covered rock on top of a mountain looking onto other mountains. A very nice August picture. The beginning of August is like a new year for me. Soon I will be heading to school to do teachery stuff and think about how I am going to do things this coming year. I use to love the first day of school. The kids were always nervous and it was fun getting to know them. Typically by the end of that first day I could measure how the year was going to go. It is a bit different now since I no longer teach kids on the first day of school. I am stuck in a room planning for the day a couple weeks down the road that the kids walk into my class. I love my teaching position but I do miss those special moments like the first day of school.
With WONDER...
Kevin