Received my first contract in the mail yesterday for a poem I wrote and submitted to a little bi-monthly called PKA’s Advocate. No money, but I do get a publishing credit and a free copy of the magazine.
Next goal: Actually get paid for something!
For the second straight year, I had the opportunity to represent my school district at the MASB Education Excellence Award Banquet at Eagle Eye Gold Club in Bath, Michigan. This year, we won for our schedule restructuring plan which provided students with larger blocks of instructional time and allowed for more grade level collaboration among staff. We were served a top-notch lunch, received a trophy, certificate, and road sign, and had our picture taken. Then I golfed (this was not paid for). It was my first time out and I shot a fifty, which wasn’t bad considering my first three holes I went quad-triple-double.
Check it out here!
We’re near the bottom under “School Improvement”
Good news! This is the first time in a long time I can honestly live with either candidate winning in November. I agree with McCain on most issues, but don’t care for him personally and I like Obama, but disagree with him on the issues. I call it a wash. Of course the best news is that the witch is dead (even if she hasn’t yet admitted it). Now I’ll just pray that Obama doesn’t pick her for VP.
I’ve been reading tons lately. Most of it is stuff no one out there will be interested as it’s written for the 9-15 year old crowd. You could call it “research” but I actually find the books more satisfying than many “adult” (that sounds wrong, but I’m not sure how else to phrase it) books. First, they’re shorter and therefore cut out all the descriptive crap that slows down the stories and second, they’re shorter, so I can read more of them. So I like them because they’re shorter. I’ve reverted back to fourth grade somehow.
Anyhow, here’s a few of the better ones and one crappy “grown-up” (there, that’s better) book.
This one’s called The Higher Power of Lucky. It won the Newbery Award in 2007. Basically, it’s the standard fare in Newbery winners with some notable twists. Lucky’s mom has died and her dad has left her in the care of a French chick he used to date. She’s trying to figure out her “higher power” which she learns of by eavesdropping on various “anonymous” group meetings (AA and the like). Two things make the story good. First, the setting in the desert town of Hard Pan is basically like a character. Second, the characters are well drawn and have some quirks that make them worth reading about. Overall, it’s a good book, not great.
Meet Stargirl. She’s the weird chick in high school who nobody can figure out on steroids. She plays the ukulele in the lunch room, wears different costumes to school, and genuinely thinks more about others’ happiness than her own. All of which makes her weird, then emulated, then hated and ignored. It’s a cute story with a good message about how we should all treat others. There were a couple of places where her naievete is a little hard to stomach, but I was willing to let it pass because the story held my interest. I liked it slightly more than Lucky.
You may have seen this one at your local library or bookstore. I admit to liking some of Cussler’s work in the way I like the song “Karma-Chameleon.” They’re fun, but not exactly mentally challenging. No deep revelations in his work. This one was purely awful. It should not have been published and wouldn’t have been if Cussler couldn’t sell books just by slapping his name on the cover. I hardly know where to start with the problems. First, and most glaringly, the dialogue is stupendously atrocious. I couldn’t count the number of times characters talk for the sole purpose of relating some piece of information that Cussler needs the reader to know. The San Fran earthquake of 06 is a prominent event (and cheap plot device) in the novel and at one point the main character, who is basically Superman, can’t remember the date. The other character relates it tow him–date and all!- just to foreshadow the earthquake to come. Also, the characters are bad. Nearly all are two-dimensional. In Cussler’s world, you’re either or good guy or a bad guy or someone who’s not that important and therefore deserves no real personality at all. At one point a character who is named Curtis becomes “Carter” for a few pages. I didn’t finish the book. I challenge you to. No wait, I wouldn’t do that to you. Just leave it. This guy doesn’t need any encouragement to spew forth such worthless drivel again.
We ordered replacement windows today. Had Hanson’s come out yesterday to give an estimate and then Wallside came today. The two estimates were sixteen bucks apart, but Wallside is the better deal because they’re replacing the sills and can get in done in about half the time.
In other home improvement news, The Wife has been busy painting this week. The half bath and bedroom are getting the treatment.
I’d like to thank George W. Bush for providing the funds to improve my house. Thanks, George.
I’ve been writing pieces for the children’s magazine market for the last couple of months (think Highlights) in an attempt to build a publishing history so that finding an agent to represent my novel will go somewhat smoother. So far, I’ve heard back on two submissions. The first one I sent was a short story to Highlights. I received a form rejection for that a week ago. The good news came this morning. We failed to get the mail yesterday (a fairly common occurrence in our household) so I got it today before I left for work. And what to my wondering eyes should appear? An envelope from Humpty Dumpty’s Magazine. Since I’d only sent the poems to them a week or so ago, I expected a letter telling me they’re no longer accepting submissions. Instead, I got a sort-of acceptance. They are “holding” the poem for “possible future publication.” Whatever they want to call it, I’m calling it “Someone who reads thousands of these things actually thinks it’s decent enough to put in print.” Needless to say (then why say it, writer boy?) it made my day. I’ll let everyone know if and when they decide to publish the poem.
So it’s just a small morsel, but I’ll take it. I accomplished three things on account of the balmy (relatively speaking of course) weather. I finally got out and ran. Wasn’t able to run my entire route, but I probably did 1.5 miles. It was slow going and my lungs expressed their displeasure, but it was nice to be pounding pavement again. Also, nobody tells you that one of the joys of fatherhood is a drastic increase in cardboard boxes. Because I’m supposed to break these down for the garbage folks, I usually just toss them into our mostly unused three seasons room and close the blinds so I don’t have to look at them. After some time, the mountain of packaging finally got to me so I pledged that I would finally do the job when the weather got warmer. So today I did. Got a nice stack of former boxes and a much smaller mound of Styrofoam packaging. Lastly, I cleaned off the grill and threw some hamburgers on there tonight for dinner. They were mighty tasty.
It’s probably a good thing I did these all in one day because I have the feeling we won’t see a day this warm for some time.
My birthday was yesterday. I’m 32. That’s just about 35. And 35 is darn close to 40. In my younger, more invulnerable years (points to anyone who catches this reference), my brother and I agreed on some terminology in regards to old people. When one turned 40 years old, we decided they were officially, “fogeys.” When they turned 50, they became “geezers.” Eight years to Fogerdom. I have a sneaking (okay, it’s not so sneaking) suspicion that they will not be slow-moving years.
Anyway, thanks to those who recognized my old age. Mom and Dad for having us for dinner (the spaghetti-pizza was superb) and for the gifts of wine and money and to my wife and daughter for giving me presents. I got an external hard-drive for all the pictures currently eating up space on the desktop and a couple of those over-sized coloring books I remember so fondly from my youth (which was so very long ago indeed).
In writing class, students are working on writing essays. They form a thesis and three supporting arguments or examples. While conferencing with one student, I ask him his thesis. It was “It stinks being an only child.” As I worked with this student, the girl next to him said, “You should just tell your mother to have another kid. She will!” and then after a pause of a few seconds, this gem: “Unless she has her tubes tied.”
You can’t make this stuff up.
I thought that since I now blog about as frequently as the leap year rolls around, today would be an appropriate one to catch up on some things. First, I have a whole lot of business to take care of:
Congrats to the following: My brother Dave and wife Michelle on the birth of their son, J.D.(see photo below and also “Uncle Paulie’s Page), The McNeils on the birth of their daughter, Sydney (see photo below), the Jim Hempton household on the upcoming birth of their first child (I hear it’s going to be a girl!), and to our friends the Olson’s on the future arrival of their second. Whew! Y’all have been busy.
Family News: I’ve been spending most of my free time writing (revising actually) my book. The Wife’s been making sure the day to day operations run smoothly and putting up with her least favorite class ever. The D fought off a bout with pinkeye, but has otherwise been dandy. She’s talking and has just started to really enjoy making messes. Today, she pulled about fifty tissues out of the Kleenex box and tore a few up into tiny pieces before I caught her. She pointed and said, “Mess.”
Books: I am reading Duma Key by Stephen King. It’s good. Not The Stand, but what is? I’ve also been reading a bunch of books on writing/publishing and a few middle grade novels since that’s what I’m writing. Here’s a recommendation: The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt. It’s written for the middle school crowd but frankly, adults will probably enjoy it more. It’s damn funny.
Movies: What are they again? Actually, we’ve seen a few recently (not at the theater. You crazy?). 3:10 to Yuma (which rhymes with Duma. Huh.) was good. The Simpsons was just like the TV show, just longer. I saw no movies nominated for a significant Academy Award, but neither did anyone else, so I don’t feel like I missed out there. Watched Jon Stewart do his opening bit and that was enough for me. I always turn it when the first guy I’ve never heard of wants to thank everybody in his life and then gets upset when the orchestra starts playing. F-off, no one cares. Just make your movies or design costumes or whatever it is you do.
Work: No thanks, I’ll pass.
Food: I’ve been eating horribly and not exercising. There, I said it. Probably gained a few, but the weather (I think) is supposed to get warmer sometime this year and I fully intend to run again. I’ve actually missed it, though not enough to get on the treadmill. Too boring.
Something Weird I Learned: Some American urologist (it’s what you think it is) is rumored to own Napoleon’s dick. I’m sure there’s a few hundred joke possibilities here and if you want to think of one, go ahead and post it in the comments.
Musings:
I think the witch is finally dead and Obama’s actually gonna win the thing.
When John McCain says “my friends,” I feel the exact opposite of friendly toward him. And yet, I’ll probably vote for him anyway.
The “Home Mortgage Crisis” is the fault of people who don’t understand math, not the lenders. Smart people regularly take advantage of dumb people. It’s one of the perks of being smart. Blaming the lender is like blaming the bear that eats the Boy Scout who wandered away from his troop.
The cost of gas is really not something I think all that much about.
The Congress should not be involved in the steroid scandal. They should be doing something about health care. That said, Roger Clemens is a big fat liar.
Anyone else think Northern Illinois is overreacting just a tad? I mean come on, tearing down the building?
Time to go. See you in four years!