Sleep overs

The oldest had a friend sleepover Saturday. All was fine, but I am starting to wonder if there are rules or unspoken norms that parents are supposed to know about when having other kids spend the night. I mean when and if it is appropriate to yell at your kid in front of his friend? And how exactly do you "kindly" remind your little angel that he is not Billy Bad-Ass and that you are tired of his "I always act like this to my stupid parents" antics. I am quite certain that all of these are reasons that I never had a friend spend the night while I was a kid, but I am sure that I am not the only one with these questions. I mean do you just put discipline on hold and then let him have it once the guest leaves, or do you just make empty threats or punish your kid and the one spending the night by taking stuff away (like my favorite:  video games)?

For some reason it just feels wrong to take away something from the kid who is spending the night just because mine can't or won't behave. I also think that it would be beneficial discipline wise to embarrass him from time to time by taking away their fun because he was being a butt.

I am torn because I see good and bad in both instances, and I am just not sure which way is the best.

Any ideas???

Your IOU

All you have to do is click on the title of this post and be whisked away into teeny-bopper hell!  The clip is super long, but all I ask is that you watch the first minute.  Now tell me that didn't like make you like laugh like totally like hard, and stuff.

Months Later

I tried to post this last night using my iPhone, and a program called lifecast, but life cast sucks ass, so here is what I typed but did not post...

Wow, it's been a while; huh?

So I guess the first thing would be to say thank you for not giving up on this blog and its "hit and miss" author. I can only hope that my love of technology and my sometimes inability to master it doesn't keep me from keeping you entertained.

Doesn't it sound strange when you say the same word twice I the same sentence? Kind of like saying: “if I do do American Idol, wait like I just totally said do do American Idol.” For those of you that know what I am talking about, you know you laughed. Those that are clueless, sorry but I can’t do links from my iPhone, consider this a foreshadowing of California’s tax returns….IOU!!!

Now I know that I just posted this on a computer, but if I try to link it, I fear the guys in black would come in and take me. And I am not the type of guy to get a cell phone delivered mere seconds before they get here.

Shhh... Don't Tell!

I am supposed to be at work right now, but I really don't see any point in going back, just to sit there and PRETEND to do work while I surf the net and do everything but work!!!

I think what I hate more than anything is that I actually feel guilty about not going back. Even though I know that no one will call me, and it is not likely that anyone will even notice that I am gone.

Well, here's to "bucking the system"!!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!!!

Posted with LifeCast

Using It At Work While I Am Supposed To Be Doing Other Things.

I like the handiness (if that's even a word) of this app. I can sit at my computer (that won't let me on blogger, due to proxies) and blog from my phone. Although of is obvious that I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing.

This could be very therapudic in the weeks to come.

Posted with LifeCast

Sitting In The Basement

I downloaded a new free app for my iPhone and decided to test it while on "monster watch". I assume it will work?!!!!

Posted with LifeCast

Look at the size of the STINGER!!!!

This ugly, huge fucking thing was found in our porch this evening.  The coin next to the big stingy buzzy thing is a 100 Won piece from South Korea, it is the size of a Quarter.  No, before you ask I don't know who the old guy on the coin is, and I REALLY don't care.  All I know is that if the guy on the coin was alive, he was scared 

shitless to be placed next to that gigantic "stinger"!!!

  Of course it was dead when I found it, otherwise, this post would look more like this...

Click For Sound, 

but beware that it will take you to another site, because I cannot get the fucking thing to embed!!!!!

That's what I get

So today I decided that I would focus on the lessons and avoid going overboard with the teaching stuff. We got done at about 2:45 and I released my students earlier than ever. The other class was already gone, but only by about 5 or 10 minutes. 

So I get home, and at about 3:30 I get a call from one of my students stating that the MP's are coming to the gate to "talk" to him. It seems that he had a disagreement with the gate guard and the MP's had to come. Now bear in mind that 3:30 is the absolute earliest we are ever supposed to release our students. Here it is, 3:30 and this fucking shithead is in civies, at the gate and getting the MP's called on him! WTF is he thinking? Damn moron.

Anyway, nothing came of it, it just illustrates how shit can bite you in the ass. I can safely say that they will not get released before 4:00 again.

The reason that this was such a big deal was that if the issue had been pushed by the MP's I would have been in deep shit for releasing them so early. So I would be reprimanded for releasing them early because one dumbass wanted to be a fucking retard.

Good but not Great

Today in classic RUSTY NAIL fashion, I was again told that I would be going to work for my old boss.  As soon as RUSTY NAIL told me that, I sent an email to the guy and verified it with him.  This time it was actually the truth.  One unexpected thing was that I am supposed to report to this new job immediately after we graduate this class.  By immediately, I mean we graduate at 1100, and right after I shake all their sweaty hands, I go to my new job.  It's like they can't wait to kick me out the door.  If I wasn't teaching I would probably already be there.

After a discussion with Kaytabug, we have decided that my future boss shall be known as:  SERGEANT HARTMAN.

Background on SGT Hartman - The DI from Full Metal Jacket 

Normally when people leave this organization, they get a farewell luncheon and a rather expensive plaque that everyone chips in for to thank them for a good job.  With the accelerated plan that they seem to have in mind for getting rid of me, I doubt that I will receive such a luncheon or farewell.  And how is this not supposed to be depressing?  To know without a shadow of doubt that those you have to call peers DON'T want you around.  Why even show up anymore?!!!  

I am happy about going to work for someone other than RUSTY NAIL, but not at all happy about how it is happening.

What is the point?

Here I am back in the classroom and I suddenly feel out of my element. The other Small Group Leader that I am working with always seems to get done with his lessons sooner than I do. He regularly releases his students at about 1430-1500 (2:30-3 p.m.) everyday, while I keep my class until about 1600-1630 (4-4:30 p.m.) everyday. We teach the same stuff, but I take longer to get through it.

I can't imagine that he is able to cut the prescribed time for the lesson as much as he does. The lessons are timed and we are supposed to stick to that time as best as we can.I cut the classes early already, but only by about 30 minutes or so, he cuts them by and hour or sometimes 2 or even 3 hours. None of his students failed the first test. 4 of my students failed. How can he possibly be doing this? I wonder if he does not teach the test or review it with them before they take it. His students even found answers to questions that aren't even covered by the lesson plan. I want to know how.

When he releases his class a full hour before I am read to release my class, I feel like I am wasting their time. But then again their unit sent them here to learn, not to get off at 3 everyday. My students all claim that they like how I teach compared to the way my partner teaches, since he covered for me last week so I could go on pass.

I know why it takes me so long to teach and I don't think that it is a bad thing. I like to teach them things that are not in the lessons, things like no-nonsense leadership and professional development. I think that it is implied that we teach them these things, and explain it in a way that they all can understand. I am not only concerned with teaching them what is on the test, I want to make them the best leaders that they can be. Is that wrong? And isn't that why we are hand-picked for this position?

All these strong feelings and I am still listed as "Excess Personnel". Yeah what a great feeling to see the uselessness of others in this job, but I am the one getting pushed out. What does that say about the future of this course? No one cares about the greater good anymore, just worried about how early they can get off and the ability to ignore their students and the responsibility to train them.

Good luck explaining the downfall of the course next year "Rusty Nail"!

In closing a quote from Gen (Ret.) Collin Powell's 18 Lessons in Leadership

"Command is lonely."

Harry Truman was right. Whether you're a CEO or the temporary head of a project team, the buck stops here. You can encourage participative management and bottom-up employee involvement but ultimately, the essence of leadership is the willingness to make the tough, unambiguous choices that will have an impact on the fate of the organization. I've seen too many non-leaders flinch from this responsibility. Even as you create an informal, open, collaborative corporate culture, prepare to be lonely.

I WONDER WHY IT IS "RUST" COLORED?!!!! Any guesses?!!!

Post Script: They left at 2:00 on the day I posted this. I wasn't done until 4:00.