Ok. The semester is almost over. All I have left are finals, and for the most part they'll be a breeze because most of the classes I take have difficult final projects and more simple final tests. That makes me happy.
Do you want to know what else makes me happy? Now THAT is a silly question, since I am going to give the answer anyway. This just lets me take my time about it. Well the thing that makes me happy is kids. Not just any kids, (though I do enjoy kids in general) but MY kids. That's right MY with the capitals and all. And do you want to know something else that's great. My wife and I just had another one. Ok, Ok. My wife just had another kid. But I helped a little. And now I get to enjoy her. Her being my new daughter (I quite enjoy my wife as well). She's five days old and already she's sleeping five hours at night. Now, I assume that she will quit being so kind as soon as my disbelief fades and I start to become comfortable sleeping all night. But I will enjoy it while I can.
Also, this little girl is amazing. She smiles at me. In fact, she smiled at me before she was fully five minutes out of the womb. It's true. She smiled at me. She still does. I know that baby's don't smile until they've been around a few months, but it happened. Of course, I immediately smiled back. What else could I do. I mean, she's just so darn cute.
But it is a new experience having a daughter. I have two sons who love their little sister immensely, but I can only guess what will happen when they notice that their beautiful little sister has different parts. It will be a great time for answering questions...hmm, I wonder if I should tell them before hand so as to prepare them. I'm all for being straightforward with kids about their bodies, but since we have two boys the subject of girl parts has yet to come up. I mean the oldest is only four years old. Ah well, I guess that we'll end up talking about it eventually.
Speaking of eventually, I have one of those projects I made for my Educational Technology class online. Actually, I don't have the whole project, but I do have a preview. Feel free to take a gander here.
If you do watch it, let me know what you think. Would you watch the video. Incidentally, if you are a member of Mass Pike I used your music in accordance with the fair use rules for education, and please let me know if you want to work something out.
So, that's all for now. I haven't written for a long time, so I just wanted to say 'hi'. I hope you know I still love you all....and again by all, I mean everyone who is reading this post... and by that I mean me.
Love you all. Tata-
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
IDEA Improvement Act
Have you ever felt like a fraud? Sometimes I do. I go to family functions, and I go to parties and people ask me, "What do you do?" I inevitably get around to saying, "I'm a writer."
That's pretty painful for me to say, because I'm not writing. Oh, I write little stories here or there, but what have I really done? However, Saying that I am a writer becomes especially poignant for me when I actually write something. Because when I write the possibilities just jump out at me. I sit down and type out a few words and I can see the end of the story. I can feel the characters begging me to write more. They just want someone to hear them, they just want their story to be told.
And I sit at my computer and I write. I come alive with hope. My mind surges with possibilities. Life seems worthwhile when I'm writing.
And then I stop. I get so involved with school and looking for money so that I can eat that I forget. I forget what it means to write. To truly be alive.
And when I go home to my family I become lethargic and grumpy. I try to share my feelings, but my mouth doesn't work. My fingers know how to talk, but my voice shrinks at the task.
But I show my love to them as much as I can. And then I finally get a chance to write and instead of sleeping, playing a video game, or anything else that I can possible do to avoide it I actually write. And I come alive again. And my family seems more wonderful, and my life feels happier, and even when I struggle to tell a story my finger feel content with the role that we have been called to play in this great story.
I love my family. I take joy in my friends. I bask in the lovely glow of life. I praise the opportunities that my life affords. But when all is said and done: I write!
That's pretty painful for me to say, because I'm not writing. Oh, I write little stories here or there, but what have I really done? However, Saying that I am a writer becomes especially poignant for me when I actually write something. Because when I write the possibilities just jump out at me. I sit down and type out a few words and I can see the end of the story. I can feel the characters begging me to write more. They just want someone to hear them, they just want their story to be told.
And I sit at my computer and I write. I come alive with hope. My mind surges with possibilities. Life seems worthwhile when I'm writing.
And then I stop. I get so involved with school and looking for money so that I can eat that I forget. I forget what it means to write. To truly be alive.
And when I go home to my family I become lethargic and grumpy. I try to share my feelings, but my mouth doesn't work. My fingers know how to talk, but my voice shrinks at the task.
But I show my love to them as much as I can. And then I finally get a chance to write and instead of sleeping, playing a video game, or anything else that I can possible do to avoide it I actually write. And I come alive again. And my family seems more wonderful, and my life feels happier, and even when I struggle to tell a story my finger feel content with the role that we have been called to play in this great story.
I love my family. I take joy in my friends. I bask in the lovely glow of life. I praise the opportunities that my life affords. But when all is said and done: I write!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Hunt and Peck
I have a dirty little secret. A confession, if you will. And my confession is this: I didn't even tell my kids about the Easter bunny this year. They don't even know that he exists. No eggs, no hunts, no chocolate. Nothing. My wife did decorate the house, but she always does that so the kids didn't suspect a thing.
I did feel a little bad, so we brought out the movie "Superman Returns" which we bought in a package deal with a "Justice League" cartoon. And I took a few minutes to illuminate the Christ parable in the character of Superman. Which becomes especially poignant in "Superman Returns" what with his death and return, and people calling to him for help every night. He even says that people need a savior. Now you may not think of it that way, and Bryan Singer may not have thought of it that way, but Superman is a "Christ" figure, or a "God" figure if you will. Any story in the traditional sense that we tell revolves around the basic points that mythological stories that have popped up in any given culture. Especially when we make a character superhuman. And I happen to believe that the myth of Christ is a true myth.
You may thing that's an oxymoron, but I assure you it's not. If you don't believe me, look here. Myths don't have a "determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation", but that doesn't mean that a myth can't be true. I guess that for me, then, it would be history.
Speaking of myths, I couldn't really get myself to further the one about the Easter bunny. What is it with eggs and bunnies anyway. I guess they symbolize fertility and it's an especially topical symbol what with spring and all. But so what, bunnies have sex and make more bunnies. They don't lay eggs. Those come from chickens or other fowl. I want my kids to grow up and have families and produce offspring, but I don't need to start them on that kick yet do I? And by the way, if this is a Christian holiday, what does the Easter bunny making more little bunnies have to do with Christ's Resurrection? I think that if we are going to create something to celebrate Superman is much nearer to the reason for the holiday.
Now maybe next year I'll tell the kids that Superman hid the eggs.
I did feel a little bad, so we brought out the movie "Superman Returns" which we bought in a package deal with a "Justice League" cartoon. And I took a few minutes to illuminate the Christ parable in the character of Superman. Which becomes especially poignant in "Superman Returns" what with his death and return, and people calling to him for help every night. He even says that people need a savior. Now you may not think of it that way, and Bryan Singer may not have thought of it that way, but Superman is a "Christ" figure, or a "God" figure if you will. Any story in the traditional sense that we tell revolves around the basic points that mythological stories that have popped up in any given culture. Especially when we make a character superhuman. And I happen to believe that the myth of Christ is a true myth.
You may thing that's an oxymoron, but I assure you it's not. If you don't believe me, look here. Myths don't have a "determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation", but that doesn't mean that a myth can't be true. I guess that for me, then, it would be history.
Speaking of myths, I couldn't really get myself to further the one about the Easter bunny. What is it with eggs and bunnies anyway. I guess they symbolize fertility and it's an especially topical symbol what with spring and all. But so what, bunnies have sex and make more bunnies. They don't lay eggs. Those come from chickens or other fowl. I want my kids to grow up and have families and produce offspring, but I don't need to start them on that kick yet do I? And by the way, if this is a Christian holiday, what does the Easter bunny making more little bunnies have to do with Christ's Resurrection? I think that if we are going to create something to celebrate Superman is much nearer to the reason for the holiday.
Now maybe next year I'll tell the kids that Superman hid the eggs.
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