FirstSpam!!

So I got my first spam to the blog!! It was an ad trying to sell viagra to women... I don't know why this should excite me, but it does.

Should Parents be Notified?!??!!??!!!????????

Soapbox Post - WARNING-

Why is it that a girl needs permission to have her ears pierced at the mall but she can't check herself out of school and get an abortion without her parents ever even knowing?

How can anyone stand behind that? How did that get written into law in the first place? How can a doctor perform ANY surgery on a minor without parental consent? This is so blatantly wrong I am shocked I'm even writing about it!

I am actually at a loss for words right now. If you are pro-choice that is a conversation for another day. But this is simple, they are our kids and we must know what is happening with them. It just defies logic and common sense!

I can't talk about it. I am gathering signatures for a petition to overturn this unbelievable law. If you are registered to vote in Alaska and agree with me come find me soon, or go to: www.alaskafamilycouncil.org/petition

I don't know a lot about this organization but I am working with them on this issue.

My Response to a common Comment

Last year I posted about single payer health care, or universal health care, or government health care, or my favorite "Socialized Medicine" as if Social is somehow bad. I always thought that being social was a positive trait. But I won't be glib any longer, this is a serious question that deserves a serious answer.

I failed to cut and paste... Just when I thought I was tech savvy, I have been humbled, so I will rephrase (or you could go back to Oct. '08 and read it). Basically the anonymous person said that no one should be forced to be charitable and that forcing a good choice was 'Satan's Plan' referring to my and (I assume) the commenter's religious belief that before this world was created Lucifer offered an alternate plan for this life that would force us to be good. God punished him, he became the devil and now I will stick to the issue.

I agree completely that we shouldn't force people to do things. We should encourage people to do the right things. If we all chose to give, we might not have poor people or sick people that can't afford a doctor's visit, but clearly that is not the case. Also, I don't believe that we can always share enough to meet people's needs. What about the family that has a Downs Syndrome child who needs heart surgery that will cost about a half million dollars? They cannot hope to set out collection jugs at gas stations and raise that kind of money. We really must have help sometimes.

But we could argue what is already out there and who really deserves what all day and make no real progress so let me get to the real problem I have with the comment. I disagree with your reasoning. That's right I think that the government is not forcing anything. We are so proud of democratic society, in which WE make decisions. We all make a decision, even if some of us do not agree with it we have made that choice as a group. That is part of living with a group. You can't love democracy and suggest that you are being forced to live it.

I do not belief that I am forcing anyone to do anything by creating a new law. I believe that we come together and create law, or more accurately, we elect representatives who come together to create laws for us. I encourage you all to contact your legislators so that they can better represent you, and I try to do the same with mine often. But to suggest that I or anyone is taking away your freedom by governing is not accurate. Government is designed to provide for the well being of it's citizens. I think this is a basic issue and we would all be better off with a good, well run, government plan that provides for all.

Home in Homer

So, it has been a busy, crazy summer, but I have a new job and a new place to live. I maintain that I could have lived in Pelican happily for many years to come, but family comes first and I really think that I need to offer my children more oppertunities. So I resigned in the spring and took a job teaching English and Business in Homer, Alaska. Yes, NPR fans I now live at the end of the road! I am getting out those Tom Bodett books and rereading them.

This area is incredibly beautiful. Even more stunning views out my window than Pelican (which is a real feat to accomplish)! I, however, have not gotten great pictures yet. I seem to be too busy on the sunny days to take any. Soon I will get some up here though. And the people that gave up on this blog almost a year ago can wander back and see.

I am hoping to be more faithful in my blogging this year.

My Future Home

So my wife and I have talked a lot about the home that we one day some day want to build. Well her friend is building a new home in Alaska and it got us talking. We really like the idea of an underground home (well partially underground anyway). Many people have asked us exactly what that would look like. Of course there is the inevitable comparison to Tolkien and hobbit holes (which was part of the inspiration), but there really are many reasons to do it. For those that are still trying to picture how this could work I found (ok a friend found it and showed me -- thanks Line) a really cool website of a guy in Wales that built a neat house. Mine won't be quite the same but this will give everyone a great visual: http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm

Happy New Year

I just wanted to wish everyone a great 2009. I hope you all have made some good resolutions. This year I am finally taking my weight seriously. It has been bothering me for a few years now. I am going to make a change. I am going to eat less and excersise more. I have started keeping a food log to help me. My goal is to weigh 199 lbs. by May 1.

I wanted to put it up here to make it more real.

I am Done!

This fall I did something I knew I was not going to enjoy. I signed up to take classes full time through the University of Alaska. That is on top of my job teaching nine kids in six different grades seven different classes. This is why I haven't been posting here much... I was overly stressed, overly worked, and overly tired for longer than I realized. This morning I woke up after a good night's sleep (about eight hours) and still felt exhausted. As was the case yesterday morning. Of course Friday was the last day to turn in assignments and I was here at the school finishing things until about 7:00pm.

It has been a great weekend of rest and rest, oh yeah and relaxation. Pelican has been unusually sunny and the world looks great! It is Christmas time, my family is happy and healthy. Everything seems wonderful! Of course I am WAY behind on my grading, but I'll get that caught up this week.

Now I need to be encouraged. I am five classes away from finishing my Masters in Math Education (which I REALLY want to have posted on my resume before next fall!) I am enjoying the afternoons now. I am tempted to not take classes... My desire to take on the extra work has tanked. I think I will be more ready to take on work by January. Please encourage me. I know that I need at least two classes but doubt I will muster enough desire to take three. I can do that over the summer.

For at least the Holiday season I should be posting more regularly. Unless I really get lazy...