One Thing You Can do for the kid who sabotages family time - Post of the week #2

On 2/23 I shared the inaugural post of the week.  The idea for post of the week was for each Monday to share a post from my blogroll ,that I had read over the past  week and found interesting, inspiring, or some other positive adjective that begins with the letter I.

well 3-2 was the next Monday and I looked for a post of the week and got distracted and never put one up,  3-9, 3-16 and 3-23 came and went and I didn't even think about a post of the week. Now, here we are 5 weeks removed form the innaugural post and I am finally getting around to sharing a post of the week.  This comes from one of the best blogs in the free world (There are hundreds of better blogs in North Korea), We Are That Family.  The post The One Thing You Can Do for The Kid Who Sabotages Family Time. is a great idea, I am not sure if it will work for our sabotagical (I just made up that word if you did not realize it)  kid.  But it is the best idea yet that does not include shipping said kid to Siberia.

I hope to return next week with Post of  the week #3. If I don't I am going to seriously consider a name change to post of the month.

Nouns 2015 Blogging A to Z

It was 2012 that I participated in my first Blogging A to Z challenge. Here I am 3 years later to participate again. tha

My theme this year. Is A noun is a person, place or thing. First let's get that song out of our system ...





So, everyday in April except for Sundays I will be blogging about either a person place or thing that corresponds with the letter of the day. To find out more about Blogging A to Z click here.

White Sox Home Run Hitters from A.J. to Zeke

This year I am participating in the a to z challenge ...

The ideas of the challenge is to write 26 times overt he course of the month and have each post start with a different letter of the alphabet proceeding in alphabetical order. Resting Sundays allows each participant to hit each letter in the month of April. I participated in this at Home School Dad years ago. When I did I thought of this theme for blogging here. With each letter, I will write about a home run leader for the White Sox whose first name or last name starts with that letter. The sox as far as I know have never had a player whose first or last name started with X so on that day I will find some way, to blog about my first White Sox Home Run hero Dick Allen perhaps talking about his x-factor. So on Wednesday we will feature A.J. Pierzynski and finish on 4-31 with Zeke Bonura. Home Run totals are through the last game of 2014. Click here to find out more about the A to Z challenge.

Zuckermans Famous Pig (from "Charlotte's Web") - One Man Barbershop Mult...

I was recently lamenting about how people don't watch movies together any more.  I will write more about this later.  So, I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the advent of the 1 man barber shop quartet.

IMago Film Festival 2015 drawing to a close

Last year I watched the movie Ragamuffin.  It was awesome.  It was definitely worth all the hype.  I must admit the best thing personally that came out of my ragamuffin experience was my discovery of the Imago Film Festival.  I went to see Ragamuffin at a showing at Judson College and while I was there I first heard of Imago, a film festival run by Judson, now in its eleventh year.  I went to several
nights last year including the awards ceremony.  I loved it so much that I bought a seasons pass this year and have been to each and every event over the past 5 nights.  After I finish this post I am off to the awards ceremony for year 11.  Over the next few weeks, I will give you a night by night rundown of the event for right now let's talk about what Imago is.  I took this from the imago website ...

OUR MISSION

The Imago Film Festival showcases independent film that deals with faith issues, emphasizing image and story.

The festival films capture the full spectrum of human emotion, experience, and spirituality.

The festival shows all the movies entered in the competition and gives out 4 awards: 1 for best film in show, 2 first places one for the best 16-30 minute film and one for the best under 16 minute film, and then the audience choice.  There is  a total of $2000.00 in prizes for the filmmakers up for grabs.

Besides screenings the 18 films in competition, there are interviews with filmmakers, actors, and even a lifetime achievement award.  Last year the winner of the first ever mago lifetime achievement award was Martin Sheen.  I am looking forward to finding out who nabs it tonight.

I have totally loved my experience at the past 2 festivals.  Judson is practically in my back yard and there are few places I enjoy more that a college campus or a film festival.  Sure it seems like I am the only community member not affiliated with an individual film most nights.  Sure I used to have more people at my house when I was in high school to watch videos than the amount of people in the theatre  on a given night, and none of my friends were getting chapel credit. But as I tell my kids when they won't try food that I love, more for me.  Gotta jet, my inner Siskel beckons.

WSCR: Sometime's not listening is best way to speak up

I am a big time fan of sports radio.  I have been listening to WSCR  (The Score) since they went on the air back in 1992. besides the years I lived in Russia from December of 1992 to December of 1994 and South Carolina from 1995 to 1997   I have been a regular listener to sports radio in Chicago,  primarily WSCR as they did the WKRP theme thing and moved up and down the dial until finally landing on 670 where WMAQ had promised to make me rich when I was a kid.

As a Christian,  I try to watch what words I listen to and what things I say.  To that end, I could never get behind show titles like S&M in the morning (The  initials referring to show hosts Tom Shaer and Jim Memelo) nor could I participate in the signature segment on the show based on an Old Mike Ditka rant.  The segment has nothing to do with the c-list swear word for producing feces but has everything to do with tagging someone out when you find them off base.  Still,  I could never bring myself to call up and say a word on the radio that I wouldn't say in public.

My point in all this is to say that there were some goings on at WSCR that I didn't want to listen to and when they came on like the commercials for strip clubs, I just turned them off, sometimes for days and weeks at a time.  I did this because sometimes not listening is the beset way to speak up.

Over the years some of the hosts I really liked and some I did not much care for.  I liked all the Dan's (McNeil, Jiggets and later Bernstein) I was 50/50 on the Mikes, Loved Murphy, didn't care much for North.

I didn't care much for North's shtick.  The whole who needs High school, self made man thing never' really resonated me.  But it wasn't until September 12, 2001 that he really got under my skin.  As you may recall, September 11th 2001, was kind of a big deal,  and even the day after,  sports radio was not talking about sports.  When I got into my car after work that day, Secretary of State Colin Powell was making a speech about U.S. response to the tragedy.  Half way through the speech, North turns off the feed and starts discounting what Powell was saying and giving his own "insight" to what had to be done.  Now this was nearly 14 years ago, so I don't remember the particulars, but that was the last time I listened to Mike North.  I just had it with him.  Had it with how on one hand, he could brag about being a high school drop out and then on the other,  have enough hubris in the wake of a national tragedy, to  purport that he knew more about global politics than a decorated general and current secretary of state.

At the time, North was the face of the score, he was on 1/2 the commercials,  even when not in his time slot.  Anytime since 9-12-01 that his voice came on the score, I switched the channel. Now was I being petty or vindictive?  I don't think so.  This is the first time in nearly 14 years I am going public with it.  I only do so to illustrate a need to turn a score personality off again.

I mentioned earlier that I liked Dan Bernstein.  He is the host of the afternoon show at WSCR.  He and his partner Terry Boers also run the segment, I referred to earlier.  I remember when Bernstein was first starting at the score  covering things like the NBA draft.  Over the last 15 years Bernstein, has become as Lawrence Holmes said recently, the face of the score.  I have found Bernstein to be very insightful and analytical over his run at WSCR.  I have also found him at times boorish, sophomoric and ill tempered.  There are days that he shows a real disdain for the opinions and thoughts for the callers on his show.  Still in all, he hadn't done anything to make me pull the plug on him.  That is until this week.

In  1992  and even in 2001 Social media was essentially non existent.  So disdain for an on air personality came usually from what they said or from a column they would put in a newspaper or website.  Twitter , Facebook and the like have changed that in a big way.

Bernstein tweeted this week in a very unprofessional manner about a female journalist.  After publicly and correctly standing up for women this week who have been abused by men, Bernstein objectified women by using a crass word, to describe part if the female journalists anatomy.  So it's channel switching time for me again at WSCR.  Stopping listening to North was a personality thing.  I couldn't stand his personality.  For Bernstein it's simply a matter of not wanting to listen to someone who defends women and objectifies them within the course of a week. 

I will still listen to the White Sox and to Lawrence Holmes. as he is a class act and in my opinion should be the face of WSCR. But when Bernstein comes on the air to sell wine, or promote the tournament of bad, or just to do his show, I will have switched channels, because sometime not listening is the best way to speak up.

Six Word Saturday: Notre Dame Death Notice

My Six Words ... Ted Hesburgh's Legacy: Putting People First.

I come from a Notre Dame family.  My Dad went to Notre Dame; my older sister went there as well.  In fact, that's how they met. 

That joke is one of the first things I think of when I think of the University of Notre Dame.  When I think of Notre Dame, I think of people associated with their football, basketball and marching band programs. The name I associate to Notre Dame more than any other is that of former university president,  Rev. Theodore "Ted" Hesburgh.  Father Ted passed away late Thursday night in South Bend, Indiana, at the age of 97.

Hesburgh served as president of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 to 1987 and was a major national and religious figure.  If you were to google Hesburgh, pictures like the one below of him and Martin Luther King would pop up. You would  also see pictures of him standing with past and former U.S.  presidents from Eisenhower to Obama.  You would see pictures of him with popes.  But the picture that comes to my mind is of him and my grandfather in the 1950's when my Dad was an incoming freshman at Notre Dame.  It is a picture in my mind only, but as clear as any of the images I can pull off the web.

My grandparents were dropping off their oldest son at ND and father Hesburgh had met with some of the parents at a social.  He was introduced to my grandfather and the next day, he saw my grandfather again and remembered his name and other aspects of their conversation.  This is the picture in my mind, it may not be exactly how it went down almost sixty years ago, but all I know is my dad was very impressed that such an important man as Hesburgh would recall talking to his father.  

Ted Hesburgh was many things: one of the greatest educators of the 20th century, a civil rights champion, and a Congressional Gold Medal recipient, just to name a few.  However, his greatest achievements come from his ability to relate to ordinary people like my grandfather and be a model of leadership to ordinary people like my Dad.  

Hesburgh didn't always want to be president of a major university.  He had hoped to serve the Navy and his country as a chaplain on an aircraft carrier.  In 2013 at the age of 95, the Navy made Hesburgh  an honorary chaplain.  While we don't all get the opportunity to advise presidents and march with historical icons, but we do have the opportunity to serve ordinary people in any way we can.  In this way, we can make Father Hesburgh's greatest legacy our own.

For More Six Word Saturday click here

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Hat Pan Lifter

It's been a while since I posted a video on the blog. Wolfina and I thought this was funny. I hope you do too.

A Night to Shine - Post of the Week #1

Sometimes I get so busy in my life, that I don't check my blogroll for weeks at a time and miss the blogs that I follow. Now I follow these blogs because I enjoy their content. I have decided to try to take some time each week and read the content they provide. I will try Monday to reward one of those blogs with post of the week.
nop

The inaugural post of the week goes to one of my favorite blogs, Families Again. The winning post, A Night To Shine is a nice synopsis of the Night to Shine events that are sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. It is a prom for Special Needs Children and Adults.  I found the post especially the three videos  depicting the events to be encouraging and inspiring.

Modern Times a 12 in 12 review

My Dad will turn 77 next month.   The movie I watched this month for the first time came out 2 years before he was born. There is often a tendency to think that anything that happened before you were born as hopelessly out of date. To think that nothing of cultural significance happened before you showed up. However, this is far from true. In 1936 when Modern Times



In 1936 when Modern Times opened in theaters it was already anachronistic. Modern Times, was a silent movie when the talkies had pretty much put that once flourishing industry out of business. Much like B&W movies were still being made in the 50's and 60's when most of the films were in color, there were still a handful of silent movies made in the middle 30's when Modern Times came out. Technically Modern Times (depicted below in lego format) is not technically a silent film. There is talking but not by any of the characters in "real life" only through the loud speaker, record player, or other "modern" inventions of the time. Chaplin also sings in one of the final numbers.



The rest of the movie is typical of the prototypical 1920 silent movies with music played over the action and dialogue cards. For example, here is a clip from the beginning of the film ...





One of the things I found most interesting about this movie is that even 80 years ago some things (like silent movies) that once had mass appeal were becoming obsolete and other things (like a modernized dehumanized work force) were tolerated but not liked or really accepted. There are many good reviews of the film that makes these points very skillfully, I recommend this review from Decent Films. 

I also found the 1936 review from Variety to be most informative.  The last line of the review, although written for "modern" audiences 80 years ago,  has a tinge of prophecy to it.

"Film has been two years in actual work and Chaplin should today find as wide a world-wide market as in yesteryears."

I found the movie to be very accessible even to modern audiences. That is one of the reasons why critics and filmgoers alike still enjoy this film. My watch again likelihood is 90 to 100%.

Crazy Uncle Dave's Sport-O-Rama: Ernie Banks 1977 Baseball Hall of Fame Induction S...

Ernie Banks , arguably the best player the Cubs ever had, died over the weekend.  Here is a link to his HOF  induction speech in 1977.

Crazy Uncle Dave's Sport-O-Rama: Ernie Banks 1977 Baseball Hall of Fame Induction S...

This has special meaning to me. as I was just at the HOF this past Summer to see Frank Thomas inducted.

Ernie Banks 1977 Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Speech

21 minute blog salute

One of the reasons why I don't blog as much as I used to, is because it takes so much of my time to type an then retype my posts. I'm a slow typist as it is, and now that I spend most of my work day behind a keyboard, I don't enjoy the prospect of going back home and sitting behind one again.

Another reason why I don't blog as much as I used to, is because since I'm easily distracted, and that tends to suck a lot of my time away and generally after 15 or 20 minutes I have nothing accomplished.

A third reason is that, as someone who is just one step ahead of being special needs and also a perfectionist(a unique but challenging combination)  I often struggle with writers block.

So  for today's post,  I am trying  to conquer those 3  reasons at  the same time.  I am using speech recognition software and speaking this post.  I am only using my keyboard when, for example, the software interprets this post as with both and then interprets with both as with bull  and then interprets with bull as with all.

I also, set my timer for 21 minutes, to avoid the time suck involved. I am also using the Amy plays Balderdash method of blogging.  Which means I am just saying the first thing that comes to my head.  I may edit my head later.

I set the timer for 21 minutes and now have six minutes left.  I'm going to play to the buzzer, but by the small content I have achieved in 15 minutes, you can see what kind of time suck I am up against.

I've been working a lot of overtime at my job lately, which may explain why this is my first post in eight days. It's better than the months at a time absences I usually experience. I am trying to use  some time to expressing myself in blog form at least twice a week.

I am not sure if this speech software will work for me or not. We actually got it for spider droid, so this is just a secondary use of it.

I am currently reading a book.  It is the first book in a mystery series that has Peter Rabbit author (that's the timer but I will finish this thought)  Beatrix Potter as it's protagonist. I read through the historical note at the end of the book today. And I'm going to put this Beatrix Potter quote on the blog masthead.  She said it of her rabbit Peter when he died in 1902. "Whatever the limitations of his intellect or outward shortcomings of his fur, and his ears and toes, his disposition was uniformly amiable and his temper unfailingly sweet. An affectionate companion and a quiet friend."

Well I am past the time I assigned for myself. So I will and now (but first I'll add punctuation).

2015 HOF Postview

Earlier this month,  I posted about the 2015 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot.  I try to follow the same format  each year, although some years I string the format along over several posts.  The format goes like this,  I list those who remain on the ballot from previous years along with how long they have been on the ballot. This year I also mentioned the rule change that changed the amount of years for players on the ballot after 2005 from 15 to 10.  Those  still on the ballot  from 2001 to 2015 get  grandfathered in for 15 years. I then introduce the players on the ballot for the first time.  After that,  I list in reverse order who I would elect to the Hall of Fame if given  exactly 10 votes to do so.  I also reveal how many players would be on my official ballot (This year it was 8).  To end up the post, I always predict (without having looked at any leaked ballots) who I think the writers will select that year.  Here is what I said this year: 

Here is what I think Will happen

4 of the following 5 players  will be inducted this summer:

Randy Johnson

Craig Biggio

John Smoltz

Jeff Bagwell

and

Pedro Martinez

Pedro and Johnson being mortal locks,  and either Smoltzy or Bagwell being the odd man out.  My money says Bagwell won't make it, this time.

Well the announcement was made on January 6th and I was 100 percent right.

Here is a quick review of the election results:

Winners

Randy Johnson received 97.3% of the vote in his first year on the ballot.

Pedro Martinez received 91.1% of the vote in his first year on the ballot.

John Smoltz received  82.9% of the vote in his first year on the ballot. 

Craig Biggio received 82.7% of the vote in his third year on the ballot.  

Biggio missed induction in 2014 by 2 votes 

Waiters

Players with 3 or fewer elections remaining are listed in red
* indicates this years percentage of vote highest received while on ballot.

Mike Piazza 3rd year on ballot received 69.9 % of vote*
Jeff Bagwell 5th year on ballot, received 55.7% of vote*
Tim Raines 8th  year on ballot, received 55% of vote*
Curt Schilling 3rd year on ballot,  received 39.2% of vote*
Roger Clemens 3rd year on ballot, received 37.5% of vote.
Barry Bonds 3rd year on ballot, received 36.8% of vote*
Lee Smith 13th year on ballot, received 30.2% of vote.
Edgar Martinez 6th year on ballot, received 27% of vote.
Alan Trammell 14th year on ballot, received 25.1% of  vote.
Mike Mussina 2nd year on ballot, received 24.6% of  vote*
Jeff Kent 2nd year on ballot, received 14% of vote.
Fred McGriff 6th year on ballot, received 12.9% of vote.
Larry Walker 5th year on ballot, received 11.8 % of vote.
Gary Sheffield 1st year on ballot, received 11.7% of vote.
Mark McGwire, 9th year on ballot received 10% of vote.
Sammy Sosa, 3rd year on ballot, recived 6.6% of vote.
Nomar Garciapara, 1st year on ballot, received 5.5% of vote

Off the ballot - Time elapsed

Don Mattingly failed to receive 75% of the vote in his 15th and final year on the ballot.  Mattingly's  highest %  28.2, came in 2001 on his 1st year on the ballot.  Mattingly spent his entire career 1982 to 1995 for the New York Yankees.  Mattingly was a 6 time all star, the 1985 American League MVP and in the top 5 of MVP vote receivers from 1984 to 1986.  He won 9 Gold Gloves and 3 Silver Sluggers.

Off the ballot - 1st year on ballot , received some votes, but less than 5 percent. 

Carlos Delgado 21 votes (3.8%)

Troy Percival 4 votes (.7%)

Aaron Boone 2 votes (.4%)

Tom Gordon 2 votes (.4%)

Darin Erstad 1 vote (.2%)

Off the ballot, - 1st year on ballot, received no votes

Cliff Floyd, Tony Clark, Brian Giles, Rich Aurilla, Eddie Guardado, Jason Schmidt, Jermaine Dye

 2016 Hall of Fame ballot preview 

Like this year, there will be 17 players returning to the ballot. 15 of those players will be on the ballot for at least  the third time.   2 players, Mark McGwire and Alan Trammell, will be in their final year  of consideration.   McGwire in his 10th year and Trammell in his 15th.  Newcomers to the 2016 ballot will include: Ken Griffey Jr., Trevor Hoffman, GarretAnderson, Jason Kendall and Jim Edmonds.

Closing the book on 2000

2015 was the first year no players from the 2000 Hall of Fame ballot were remaining on the current ballot. There were30 players on the 2000 ballot, 16 returning from previous years, and 14 on the ballot for the first time. Carlton Fisk and Tony Perez were elected into the Hall of Fame in 2000. Jim Rice, Gary Carter, Bruce Sutter, Rich Gossage, and Bert Blyleven were all voted to the Hall of Fame in subsequent elections.  

No players aged out of the ballot in 2000.   Nine returning players, who received more than 5% of the vote in 2000, failed to get elected to the Hall of Fame in their  remaining time on the ballot.  These were Luis Tiant, Jim Kaat, Steve Garvey, Dave Concepcion, Ron Guidry, Tommy John, Keith Hernandez, Dave Parker, and Dale Murphy.  One returning player, Bob Boone, failed to receive the 5% needed to stay on the ballot.

Of those on the ballot for the first time in 2000, only 2 (Gossage and Jack Morris) managed to get more than 5% of the vote. Morris stayed on the ballot for 15 years and received over 50% of the vote from 2010  to 2014 and aged out last year. Players who were on the ballot for the first time in 2000 and received some votes were: Jeff Reardon, Willie Wilson, Rick Sutcliffe, Kent "Buy a vowel" Hrbek, Charlie Hough, Dave Henderson, Steve Sax, Bob Welch, Bill Gullickson, Lonnie Smith, and Bruce Hurst. Hubie Brooks was the only player on the ballot in 2000 to receive zero votes.  

To sum up of the 30 players on the ballot 2 were elected to the HOF that year, 5 more were eventually elected for a total of 7.  10 players received greater than 5% support in 2000 but failed to be elected to the HOF,  13 players failed to receive 5% of the vote and were elinated from further ballots.  Only 1 of the 14 players on the ballot for the first time in 2000 made it to the HOF. 

Next year, I hope to close the book on 2001 prior to my Hall of Fame coverage.

Coming Soon:  New Look Bears? 

Why Homeschool: Carnival of Homeschooling - Change

The 9th anniversary edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling is up at Why Home School.  Congratulations and keep the change!

Why Homeschool: Carnival of Homeschooling - Change: A wise man said " That one of the few constants in life is change ."  Homeschoolers know this.  From the moment they decside to hom...

6 word Saturday:Polar Bear Follies

I can't believe it's been 6 year since Amy and the kids did this at the zoo.  It hasn't been quite 6 years at since I shared a post for 6 word Saturday.  My 6 words are.  "Do it again, do it again!"  Which Wolfina shouts very loud at the end of this video.





For more 6 word Saturday go to Showmyfacedotcom

Home School Dad: Boyhood: A 12 in 12 Review

Yesterday, I started ny review of Boyhood like this.

Home School Dad: Boyhood: A 12 in 12 Review: Boyhood is a movie 12 years in the making.  Written and Directed by Richard Linklater, Boyhood was filmed over a 12 year period with the sa...

I was only kidding about coming back next year.  I will finish off the review today.  In preparing for this view I found this quote from film director and writer Richard Linklater on his IMDBpage ...

 "These days we can be sued for disparaging an industry. It's like it's a felony to say something bad. I think they should make it a felony to criticize a film product. Particularly my film product. It's anti-American. I'd like to see people get sued if they wrote a bad review of my movie. If you can't say something nice you shouldn't say anything at all."


I can say something nice about Mr. Linklater's movie and will. But I guess I might be subject to litigation because my main question while watching this film was "If your going to take 12 years to make a movie, why can't it be better?"


I give Linklater an A+ for effort, To film a movie over the course of a dozen years is a mammoth undertaking. The length of the project was so long that the actors could not be signed to a contract. My wife and I were entrigued by the concept and gladly spent parts of 2 nights watching it. I did not enjoy the movie as well as I hoped to for 3 reasons.


1. The movie seemed to lack continuity and cohesiveness. Sure the family moved a lot and Mason and his sister split their time between Mom and Dad. However, I did not see threads weaving through the movie as a tapestry of 12 years. True, we watched over 2 nights, but it was still very segmented. I guess that's a risk you take when you film in segments, but if this was the epic character study it was intended to be, I would have liked to see more cohesiveness.


2. The movie lacked a sense of humor. It started with one, with the comic relief of a precocious older sister. Now of course the movie dealt with difficult issues, but it is possible to deal with family dysfunction and still have humor intertwined throughout. Robert Redford's Ordinary People is a prime example.






3. For the most part, Boyhood depicts life as hopeless and circular. Now, some people may view life that way. But I don't. It's not necessarily a fault of the film or filmmaker if he feels that way. But since I don't, I can't embrace such despair. It may not be that the film is meant to be hopeless, it could just be my interpretation. At the end of the film,Mason goes off to college meets some new friends takes some drugs and go on a hike in a scenic area. Some people may view this as poignant or hopeful, I do not.



Watch again likelihood 75 to 80 %



This may seem high for a movie that I am panning, my expectations were high for this film, and the concept is novel enough to give it a second look. My wife and I may also be watching the before films soon, as the concept of following the same characters over an extended length of time continues to intrigue us.

Boyhood: A 12 in 12 Review

Boyhood is a movie 12 years in the making.  Written and Directed by Richard Linklater, Boyhood was filmed over a 12 year period with the same actors and actress telling a slice of life coming of age story of Mason from K-12. Each year he revisited the characters and moved along the plot.

Linklater is no stranger to revisiting characters.  As he  made 3 films with Boyhood star Ethan Hawke Before Sunrise 1995, Before Sunset 2004,  and Before Midnight 2013 revisiting the same couple at 9-year intervals.

I am about 1/12th of the way done with my review.  I will be back this time next year with my next installment.

Monday Morning Memories: Remembering Millard

I like to look at my blog stats for old posts that are recirculating.  This post I wrote shortly after the passing of Millard Posthuma in 2009 frequently appears on my top 10 list.  I believe people Google Millard and this post pops up.

Since I wrote this post, Millard's wife Trudy has joined Millard in heaven.  The Posthumas posthumous influence on my life remains strong.  Here is what I said then ...

Home School Dad: Remembering Millard: Millard Posthuma 1916 -2009 Heaven centered living provides own eulogy. I have recently discovered that there is a new blog c...

Dragon practice

Hi, my name is Dave. But if you read this blog, you knew that. I am not typing this post. I am dictating it to Dragon software. I purchased the software for my sons spiderdroid.  I am just trying it out, to see if it works.  I am a pretty slow typist, and sometimes it is easier for me to dictate my posts to my wife. She is a fabulous typist.  I think sometimes I will use the software to type my blogs. When I  said typist a moment ago, it wrote down type s. When I said it in context,it got it right.

I hope this will help my son  with his writing.  This is working much better than the Dragon app I had with my ipod touch. I lost my iPod touch hospital years ago, that's a different story. Do any of you use Dragon software? How is it working for you?

Well, this was just a practice. I will be reviewing boyhood very soon.  Please check out my daughter's blog Wolfina's Secrets and  her most recent  post, my Christmas vacation.

My name is Dave Roller, and I approve this message!

New Year? 12 New to me movies.

Every year I set a goal to watch 12 movies I have not seen before.  I like movies and often watch the same ones over and over.  So I try to watch movies from time to time that I have not seen.  As many of you know there are 12 months in a year.  I decided to maybe try and add a new movie to watch each month for a year.  I may have accomplished this goal in the past, but I have always failed to chronicle it.  So, this year, I am going to write a post each month about the "new" movie I have seen.

Let me explain the parameters I have placed upon myself.  When I say new movies, I do not mean 12 2015 movies at the theater.  I mean 12 movies no matter how old or young they are.  Well not exactly because since I believe myself to be fairly well rounded, I want to see movies that I have not seen before from differing eras.

Here is how I am doing it: Since I am turning 51 this year, I have lived in all or parts of 52 calendar years.  52 divided by 4 is 13. I am dividing it only by 4 because, I am a big believer in watching movies older than me.  I have divided  the eras in 6 13 year periods, 4 spanning my life time and 2 predating my life time.  I will attempt to watch 2 movies from each era, and report back here each month with a review

The Eras are
2003 through 2015
1990 through 2002
1977 through 1989
1964 through 1976
1951 through 1963
Anything prior to 1950 (The main era would be 1938 to 1950, but this gives me  the freedom to watch movies even older than that)

Over the weekend I watched  a movie called Boyhood.  It came out in 2014 and will be my January selection.  The review should come out some time this week. I am thinking of the Big Broadcast (1932) for the February installment.

Hall of Fame

Branch Rickey

Jackie Robinson

I love baseball.   Last year Spider Droid and I went to Cooperstown to visit Baseball's Hall of Fame.

I wanted to go to see Frank Thomas be inducted.

On way there we stopped at Niagara Falls

Here we are at the entrance.

We also worked toward a family goal of bowling in every state.

I thought of that trip today since the HOF class of 2015 was announced.  Earlier this week I posted my annual list of who I would vote for at my sports blog

Congratulations to Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio on their election.

2015 HOF,

Happy New year!  A new year means a new HOF class will be announced shortly for indu
ction in Cooperstown this summer.  Having attended last years festivities gives me even more of a thrill to do my annual prognostication

In 2014 there were 36 players on the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America) ballot. 3 of those players were elected to the Hall of fame for induction in 2014,  Frank Thomas, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine.  1 player Jack Morris failed to receive 75% of the votes cast for the 15th year and fell off the ballot.  15 players were removed from the ballot after failing to appear on at least 5% of the ballots cast.  14 of these players were in their 1st year of eligibility as well as Rafael Palmeiro who was on the ballot for the 4th year.  This leaves 17 players who  are returning from the 2014 ballot.

In 2014 the Baseball Hall of fame amended their election rules.  Previously a player had 15 years to receive the 75% of the vote needed for election to the Hall,  The time period is now being shortened to 10 years with players who have appeared on the ballot for 10 of more years already being grandfathered in to get up to 15 years if needed.

 The 17 players returning from last years ballot listed from highest percentage of votes received to lowest are ...

Craig Biggio  74.8% of vote in 2014  3rd year on ballot,  Additional time to be on ballot: 7  years.  Highest vote total 2014.

Mike Piazza 62.2% of vote in 2014.  3rd year on ballot,  Additional time to be on ballot: 7  years. Highest vote total 2014.

Jeff Bagwell 54.3% of vote in 2014. 5th year on ballot with 5 years remaining.  Highest vote total was 59.6% in 2013 his 3rd year of eligibility

Tim Raines 46.1%  of vote in 2014. 8th year on ballot  with 2 years remaining. Highest vote total  was 52.2% in 2013 in his 6th year of eligibility

Roger Clemens   35.4% of vote in 2014.  3rd year on ballot,  Additional time to be on ballot: 7  years. Clemens received his highest % (37.6)  in 2013 his first year on ballot.

Barry Bonds  34.7% of vote in 2014. 3rd year on ballot,   Additional time to be on ballot: 7  years.  Bonds received his highest % (36.2) in 2013 , his first year on ballot.

Lee Smith 29.9%  of vote in 2014. 13th year on ballot  with 2  years remaining.  Lee's highest % 50.6  was in 2012, his 10th year on ballot.

Curt Schilling 29.2% of vote in 2014. 3rd year on ballot,  Additional time to be on ballot: 7.  Curt's highest % of 38.8% was on his frst year on the ballot in 2013

Edgar Martinez 25.2% of vote in 2014. 6th year on ballot  with 4  years remaining. Edgar's  highest %  of 36.5 came  in 2012 his 3rd year of HOF consideration.
his
Alan Trammell  20.8% of vote in 2014. 14th year on ballot. Next year would be his  last year on ballot.   His highest % , 36.8,  came in 11th year of eligibility (2012) 36.8 in 2012 (11th year)

Mike Mussina 20.3 %  of vote in 2014.  2nd year on ballot (8 additional years remaining)

Jeff Kent 15.2%  of vote in 2014. 2nd year on ballot (8 additional years remaining)

Fred McGriff  11.7% of vote in 2014.  6th year on ballot with 3  years remaining)  Highest % 23.9 in 2012 (3rd year)

Mark McGwire 11.0 % of vote  in 2014. 9th year on ballot, Next year would be his  last year on ballot.  His highest % 23.7 in 2010 (4th year)

Larry Walker 10.2% of vote in 2014. 5th year on ballot  with 5  years remaining. Larry's highest  % 22.9  came in 2012, his 2nd year on the ballot

Don Mattingly 8.2%  of vote in 2014. 15th and final year on ballot. Mattingly's  highest %  28.2 came in 2001 his 1st year on the ballot

Sammy Sosa only  received 7.2% of the vote in 2014.  This is 3rd year on the ballot and would have 7 more elections if he is able to continue to receive more than 5% of the vote.  In 2012 Sosa received 12.5%, his highest percentage so far.

Joining the 17 returnees are 17 players on the ballot for their first time.  They are listed alphabetically with each team that they played for.

Rich Aurilla (Giants, Reds Padres, Mariners)
Aaron Boone (Reds, Indians, Nationals, Yankees, Astros, Marlins)
Tony Clark (Tigers, Diamond Backs, Mets, Red Sox, Padres, Yankees)
Carlos Delgado (Blue Jays, Mets, Marlins)
Jermaine Dye (Royals, White Sox. A's, Braves)
Darin Erstad (Angels, Astros, White Sox)
Cliff Floyd (Marlins, Expos, Mets, Rays, Red Sox, Padres, Cubs)
Nomar Garciaparra (Red Sox, Dodgers, Cubs, A's)
Brian Giles (Pirates, Padres, Indians)
Tom Gordon (Royals, Red Sox, Phillies, Cubs, Yankees, Diamond Backs, Astros. White Sox)
Eddie Guardado (Twins, Mariners, Rangers, Reds)
Randy Johnson (Mariners, Diamondbacks, Expos, Yankees, Giants, Astros)
Pedro Martinez (Red Sox, Mets, Expos, Dodgers, Phillies)
Troy Percival (Angels, Rays, Cardinals, Tigers)
Jason Schmidt (Giants,Pirates, Braves Dodgers)
Gary Sheffield (Marlins, Dodgers, Brewers, Yankees, Braves, Padres, Tigers, Mets)
John Smoltz (Braves, Cardinals, Reds)



In the actual HOF voting process, each writer can  vote for up to 10 players on the ballot.  So each year, I state who I would vote if I had to vote for exactly 10 players and keep on lowering the amount until I state who I would vote for if I had only 1 vote.  I also state how many players I would vote for on my official ballot if I could vote for up to 10.

Here are my votes for this year ...


If I could vote for 10 players, my 10th vote would go to Edgar Martinez.

If I could vote for only  9 players, my 9th vote would go to Mike Piazza.

Last year I voted for Piazza 8th, and revealed my actual ballot would have 7 players on it.  Again this year Piazza barely misses the mark.

My official ballot would have 8 players on it and  my 8th vote would go to Jermaine Dye.

Yes , Jermaine Dye.  I voted for JD, much for the same reason why I put Robin Ventura on my "official" ballot a few years back.  As I explained then, I feel people who watch local great players owe it to the nation to keep the great but not necessarily HOF players on the ballot a few years so others can come to appreciate their greatness.  I just could not bring myself to not vote for the 2005 World Series MVP,

Speaking of the 2005 World Series, my 7th vote would go to Jeff  Bagwell.

Just like last years my 6th and 5th votes are virtually a tie between a Cubs reliever and a Braves starter.  However, this year I will put the Braves starter, John Smoltz as my 6th vote.

Given only 5, my 5th vote would go to Lee Smith.

Just like last year, my 4th vote would go to Craig Biggio.

If I had just 3 votes, my 3rd vote would go to Pedro Martinez.


If I could only vote for 2 players on the 2015 ballot, my 2nd vote would go to Tim Raines.

If I could only vote for 1 player this year, that vote would go to the Big Unit, Randy Johnson.

That's what I would do.

Here is what I think Will happen

4 of the following 5 players  will be inducted this summer:

Randy Johnson
Craig Biggio
John Smoltz
Jeff Bagwell
and
Pedro Martinez

Pedro and Johnson being mortal locks,  and either Smoltzy or Bagwell being the odd man out.  My money says Bagwell won't make it, this time.

I will check in after the announcement to talk about what really happened.

Simple Plans a review and reminiscense

Listening to an old CD is like going into the way back machine.   When I pull out Billy Crockett's Simple Plans

I'm transported back to 1999 when it came out.  It  was released on August 31, 1999, just a few days prior to my oldest daughter's release.  So back in my newlywed apartment days I first heard this album.  I have it both on c.d. and cassette, so I probably first heard it on cassette and then picked it up in a cd bargain bin sometime after that.  I am glad I did ,as we no longer have a functioning cassette player in the house.  I found this out much to my chagrin earlier this week when trying to listen to Crockett's  earlier Red Bird Blue Sky, which I have only on cassette.  Don't even get me started on vinyl.

There is much to love about Simple Plans,  from it's delightful cover art to the fact that it's dedicated to Habitat for Humanity,  the fact that the music is evocative of so many styles of music while maintaining its own distinct sound. One of the things I like most about the album is that the music is so reminiscent of the work of so many of my  favorite Christian artists, particularly, the late Rich Mullins,  Allen Levi and Noel Paul Stookey, best known as the Paul from Peter , Paul and Mary and also Bob Bennet. Michael  Kelly Blanchard and Michael Card.

I just started  playing the album and will give you a few reflections as I listen.

For the shaping of a shelter, where everybody can come home 

Simple plans, the title song ,starts things off.  It catches the ministry of Habitat for Humanity in a musical nutshell .  It is soothing musically and also spiritually energizing.  This song reminds me of Spider Droid and my trip to Joplin Missouri a few years ago where we helped with construction and clean up after the tornado.

Oh remember the fish and the loaves,  how love has a math of it's own 

The very catchy "what you got" is a reminder that we are just pieces in God's redemptive puzzle.  It is a perfect tie in again to ministries like Habitat for Humanity that rely on volunteer efforts.  We may think that we have relatively little to bring to the table, but by a "just bring what you got" mentality we can see God do so much beyond our own meager efforts.

You may live on borrowed time, broken heart and troubled mind, God thinks your the keeping kind

My friend Don Brorsen and I used to call songs like no strings on love, what's your point songs back when we were deejaying together in college,  We called them this because they repeat the moral of the story lyric so many times.  We sometimes meant this term derisively, however the repetition works nicely on no strings on love.  Don, like all of us, lived on borrowed time , dying of cancer earlier this year.  He also was familiar with broken hearts and troubled minds, I am not sure if he ever heard this song  but confident it would have ministered to him if he had. This song is the most Stookeyesque of the set.  It is fast paced, but deep , thoughtful and provocative.

I will remember the hands of Christ, touching the broken, the scandalized.

If No Strings on Love is the most Stookeysque of the tracks on Simple Plans, Love The World is hands down the most Mullinsesque. Crockett performed BGV's for Rich Mullins self titled debut Album in 1986 and also played guitar and toured with Mullins in later efforts.  Just a few years after Mullins untimely death, Mullins presence  is palpable on Simple Plans and most evident on this track as well as the cover artwork.

What  I see in you is shining in your eyes written on your face ... and I will be the lucky one for all I see in you.

All I See in You seems to be an intimate song about a friendship that I would love to know the whole story about.  It reminds me of the power that encouragement brings and how well placed words can have a lifetime of benefit.  I remember when I was engaged to Amy, I was briefly unemployed and felt bad as I had no job. When I shared that concern with her, she said I'm not worried, you always work.  That confidence in me has helped me many times in retrospect when difficulties have come.  Knowing that Amy is in my corner, has been enough to keep on punching through.

What have you learned that means a difference to you? 

Billy Crockett and Allen Levi are the only 2 artists I know who have the consistent ability to be simultaneously irreverent, silly , poignant and thought provoking.  There songs are like  poetic lasagna with many layers weaved throughout.  Tap on Your Shoulder from the fast pace to the Stookyesques "Tap Tap" is the most fun song on a very fun album. 

All of my children will be who they will be and I will be there with them to the end.  

While there may be too much hoe down in All of My Children for my wife's liking, I like the simple message that God made us special and loves us very much.  It's a very Big Idea.

I find my guitar and I walk to the light and I vow to be the man I'm made to be tonight. 

Following Hammer Thumb , a brief instrumental interlude that shows off Crockett's mammoth guitar abilities ,  Mark and Sammy is the one song on the album that has not aged well.  This is mainly due to the fact that Crockett uses the home run race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa from 1998 to sing about doing your best and playing at a high level.  Unfortunately how could Crockett know that McGwire and Sosa's achievements would be tainted by allegations and admissions of steroid use?  It is my sincere hope that Crockett did not use PED's or fill his guitar with cork to complete this album.

It all turns doesn't it turn, daylight to darkness and daylight back again 

It All Turns is a modern lullaby, a soothing song about the beautiful cyclical nature of life.  It is like the book of Ecclesiastes from a glass half full perspective.  

Nobody wants to be the last in line.

Jesus mixes things up.  He took the hierarchy of his day and stood it on his ear.  In his vivid descriptions of what it means in our society to be last, Crockett shows how powerful Christ's contention that in the kingdom of heaven the last will be first, really is.

The problem with many records is that they are  not produced to have one cohesive message.  The songs are not laid out in any order and are usually a hodge podge thematically.  I do not feel that way about this album.  The overall message I get from Simple Plans is that of a modern epistle about God's role in our lives, and ours in His mission.  Like most epistles, Crockett ends his with a benediction called Traveling Mercies.  

My favorite lines from the song are ...

Go in peace
live in grace
trust in the arms that will hold you
go in peace
live in grace trust God's love

That is a message suitable for 1999 , now and the future.  

Christmas traditions

When I was  a stay at home dad and home educator, Christmas was a 2  week break in the action.  My wife would be off her job  and we would have plenty of time to spend as a family for the holidays.   Now that I am working full time, and my wife has taken over the schooling portion of our lives everyone else in our family still gets a two week break ,except me.   I get Sunday's and Monday's off per usual but still have to work my regular Tuesday through Saturday with the exception of Christmas and New years day off. Sure we get to leave 90 minutes early on Christmas and New Year's Eve ,  but must make those 90 minutes up in the week we take them off, which is not exactly like getting them off.  I don,t say this to complain, I am very thankful to have a job.  I just say it as a point of contrast to what I am used to.

Getting so little time off, means there are some traditions at Christmas that I don't get to participate in and others that I do.  This past Saturday, Amy went with the kids to her sister.s house for the second annual family baking day.  While I worked and later while I OD'd on Netflix at home, they worked hard making multiple Christmas treats for later consumption.

After a regular day at Church yesterday,  and then helping out at  a local soup kitchen we did one of my favorite Christmas traditions, watching Its A Wonderful Life as a family.  Usually we watch it on a videocassette that predates my marriage by 10 years.  I have been married almost seventeen years ,so the videocassette is more than a quarter century old and not exactly a pleasure to watch.  Earlier this year I bought a DVD copy of my all time favorite film, and it made quite the difference in the quality of the product.

Today, we are spending the entire day out and about and doing some holiday related events. Last year we volunteered  several times at the Northern Illinois. Food Bank, Last Christmas, we invited some relatives to volunteer with us.  I was unable to go because of work.  This year we scheduled it on the Monday b4 Christmas so I could attend as well.  With another group of volunteers we assembled food to fill fill 20000 backpacks for a school backpack program which provides about 12000 meals.  Jesus gave so much to us by coming as a baby and then dying for our sins.  Giving love through volunteering and meeting the needs of others is a great way to celebrate Jesus.  After the Food Bank and after eating at one of Bunny Girls favorite restaurants, we went to one of our favorite libraries which is where I am typing this post. About twice each year we embark on what we call Library week.  Because of my work schedule, I am not always able to attend anymore.  A few hours doing what Rollers do best Librarizing , is fun and festive no matter the season.  In a few hours we are off to start what may become a tradition or just a warm holiday memory.  Amy's older brother has invited his relatives with children to a indoor fun center (roller rink, bowling alley, laser tag, bumper cars, and arcade.)  We took my side of the family there last summer for Cousins Day when in addition to the things I mentioned, there was also outdoor activities such as mini golf, bumper boats and batting cages.  It was a blast then, and should be more than 64000 ounces of fun which would make it tons of fun.

 Traditions and memories are important at Christmas time.  I hope your holiday traditions, new and old, help you experience family, fellowship and the true meaning of Christmas 

.  

This week at COH

The Carnival of Homesdhooling is at momSCHOOL this week. I hopr you all enjoy the Ages and Stages Edition.

Bunny girls birthday!

Bunny Girl is 15 today!

We are spending day at libraries and bookstores

Which means she is all ....

SMILES!!!!!!

Re-booting This Crazy Life: Too Young to Die

A friend from college died last Monday.  He had cancer.  I was on a trip when he succumbed and I did not notice until Friday, the day of his funeral, that he had passed away.  He was 4 or 5 years younger than myself and it is very possible that I may have thought that he was too young to die. Today his father shared a link on FB to a post my friend wrote on his blog this past  February.


Re-booting This Crazy Life: Too Young to Die

My friend made very good points.  I think death is one of the biggest Monday Morning Quarterback issues we have with God, sickness is another.  My friends wife shared in her blog  few months before her husband died  how his cancer led to their eventual reconciliation and remarriage to each other (they had previously been divorced from each other.)  Who expects God to use cancer like that?

I had not seen my friend for over 20 years.  He had been planning a trip back to our home state and I would have loved an opportunity to see him again.  I would also have been very happy if he had not passed while I was on a trip of a lifetime with my son.  I also wish that I had one last chance to say goodbye even if was just on FB.  However my friend was right, God controls our destinies; He doesn't do it in a way we can fathom, but in a way that is best for us.

My wife,  oldest daughter, and myself were some of the last people to see one of my grandmothers before she died.  We and my son were one of the last to spend time with my other grandmother at her home before she spent her last few weeks dying in a hospital.  My son and I were among  the last family members to see my younger brother before he died 5 years ago. If I didn't question God's timing when he allowed me opportunities to connect with family prior to their relatively sudden passings, why should I question him when He does not allow me those opportunities?

Most of all, I miss my friend and am glad for  the time we spent together in person 2 decades ago for the  past 5 years we spent together electronically.

I owe you a packet of Ramen, Don.  I don't think I can bring it to heaven, so I will eat it myself in your memory.

Carnival of Homeschooling at Living Life and Learning

The Current COH is up at Living, Life and Learning.  Please enjoy the  So you're thinking of homeschooling edition by clicking here.  My first post of the reboot, I Am Back, was included in the edition, for which I am grateful.

Galena Day I

On July 13th  this year I went on vacation to Galena, Illinois with my family and my sister-in-law's family. We stayed in a time share that my parents graciously shared with us.  We arrived on Sunday and returned home Thursday. Three adults and five children ranging in age from 8 to 14 drove from suburban Chicago to the
tri-state area of northwestern Illinois, southwestern Wisconsin and Northeastern Iowa.  This is our story.

Day One

Since Galena is just a few hours away from us, we were able to attend church on the day we left.  Our interim pastor was taking a few weeks of well deserved vacation.  At church I saw Ben Calhoun from the Christian band Citizen Way. His band has played at our church before, but that is not why he was there. His father was giving the sermon for our vacationing pastor.

After church, we had a quick lunch and drove to Sycamore, IL where my SIL lives.  We reorganized the vehicles by gender and drove to Galena.  Galena is the part of Illinois that is not flat and I enjoyed the scenery as my son and nephew chattered on about all things Mine-craft.  The trip took about 2 hours.  I may have considered throwing myself off one of the rolling hills with all the Mine-craft discussions, had we not had radio contact with the other car  provided by the walkie talkies we brought along for the ride.

We got to our hotel and scouted the place out.  My SIL and her kids were in one suite and we were in another.  Ours had 2 balconies,2 fire places , 3 TVs,  2 bedrooms, a main room, a kitchen, 2 bathrooms, one with a hot tub, and a laundry room.  In other words, it was a dump.  For the rest of the day,we went swimming and talked on the walkie talkies, and after dinner all watched the movie Field of Dreams. Galena is an hour from the place where it was filmed, and planned to visit there later in the week.  The vacation got off to a terrific start!

Next Episode: Returning the favor.

Hall of Fame Part 1

My son and I were at Cooperstown over the weekend. We went to see Frank Thomas, Greg Maddux and Tony LaRussa and the rest of the 2014 class be inducted.

Over the next few posts I will share clips to the speeches and some pictures of the players inducted.  Let's start with good old #35 Frank Thomas.

Here is a link to his very impressive and moving induction speech.

What the Reboot will be like

Hello.  It's been a  while since my last post.  (Why do I start  so many posts like I'm in the confessional booth?  Haven't been in one of those since the year I gave up Catholicism for lent.  Once lent was over, I never took up Catholicism again, as I was  no longer Catholic, and as such not  doing the old giving up for lent thing.)  I was on vacation.  As I alluded to in my last post, I wanted to spend this post discussing what the HSD reboot will look like.

Content:  This will still be a bit of hodge podge.  The focus will be on my activities, thoughts and concerns as well as family stuff.  Since I am no longer the ft home educator, I will not be posting as much on the day to day activities of our school. I am still our families co-op teacher and will be posting about that from time to time.

Activity:  In the old days, I would post 5 times a week or more.  I will try to post twice a week , but there will be weeks, like this past one when I don't post at all.  There may be some occasion when I post more often but 8 to ten times a month sounds about right to me.

Involvement:  In the past, I was a regular contributor in several MEMES and CARNIVALS.  (I am not shouting, I am just using all caps, I am actually not talking at all.) I also  hosted the COH (Carnival of  Homeschooling) on many occasions.  It was something I loved doing, but was also very time consuming.  I imagine that as the spirit leads, I will become an irregular contributor to carnivals and memes (I am not whispering, I am just using a smaller font size.  Again, I am not talking at all.).  I do not plan to resume my hosting duties at the COH.   I will promote the Carnival, as my time permits.

Craziness:  I am still reality challenged.  As my parenthetical comments aptly illustrate.  Just because I will appeared here less, does not mean I will appear less crazy.

Metablogging (blogging about blogging):  While that, essentially is what this post is, I plan to do very little of it.

That is what I expect you can expect from this blog.  (If you are reading this and happen to be expecting; you can also expect a baby.)

Next Episode: Galena Day 1

The Next Generation of Roller Family Bloggers

Yesterday Amy was talking with the kids about what the homeschooling  schedule will look like this Fall.  She was explaining that a chunk of time when the kids were supposed to work on typing and computer assignments could also be used on working on their blogs.
has
The big kids each started blogging when I  blogging.  Each of them had a few different  incarnations as one of the platforms we used subsequently went out of business.Their  blogs went into hiatus two years ago, about the same time that I was working a full time job and teaching the kids full time.

Last Fall W, our youngest went to 2nd grade at a local public school.  She was told in advance that this would be a 1 year only situation (The public schooling and the 2nd grade).  She decided to chronicle the occasion by starting a blog called Wolfina's Secrets.  She calls her posts howls and produced  42 howls during the school year such as  How was your first day?, My first substoot and The plusses and minuses of going to school.

So yesterday, each kid decided on their own to produce new material for their blogs.  BG started a new blog with the same title as a previous blog of hers Bookworms and Bunnies which describes her passions to a T.  SD has decided to go back to his old blog, Homeschool Jedi Apprentice.    It promises to be as Minecraft intensive as he is.  Each of their initial posts was only about a paragraph long, but each entry was student initiated.


You can link to any of our family blogs below.

Next Episode: What the reboot will be like.

I am Back

Hello all.  It has been quite a while since I last posted.  I have decided to reboot this blog.  A lot has changed since I began the blog in 2009 . . .

• In  January 2009 I had just started being the stay at home home schooling Dad , the semester before.  
• My Wife was working full time and I was not employed at all.
• We had 3 children ranging in age from 3 to 9  they were all home schooled

My homeschooling the children was supposed to be a 2-3 year thing and tan longer than that.  I worked some summers starting in 2010 and worked full time in 2012 for 6 months and homeschooled the kids full time as well.

In the Summer of 2013 I landed a full time job and we enrolled our youngest 2 children in public school so we could both work full time for 1 year.

In that year, we paid off nearly 15,000 in debt and once we became debt free (except for our mortgage) my wife went from full time to part time at work allowing  her  to begin home schooling all 3 kids again come the Fall. I now work Saturdays so I teach on Mondays which is our co-op day.   

Our kids will turn 9, 13 and 15 during the Fall Semester.

So, I have decided to come back to this blog in a limited capacity.  I will now take up the more traditional role of principal  of the Izola Becker Homeschool.  So, the blog will have a different feel, then it did in it's first carnation.  For instance, I used to have to cut these posts short because I had to teach in the morning. Now, it's because I have to go to work.

To go back to the Carnival of Homeschooling click here.

Next Episode: The Next Generation of Roller Family Bloggers