Time to Step Up

   
  

   

I finally read the text for Pres. Obama's speech to school children tomorrow. I have to admit, my mind is put at ease, if this is the totality of his words. I don't really think there is anything wrong with the text that was released. 

            

I think the true issue is not that Pres. Obama, or Bush, or whomever you may name has talked or will talk to school children. One issue is that nobody knew what was going to be said to the children. One issue is that the text was not released until 24 hours before the speech was to take place. As a teacher, and as a parent, I would rather know more in advance. That, for me is not the crux of the full issue.

            

The true issue is that as a rule, though none of us want to take their place, politicians, as a species have become so totally untrustworthy that we dare not allow ourselves the luxury of relaxing when they open their mouths. We know that too many politicians have become drunk with power, and have not conducted themselves in moral manners. 

                    

Our nation was founded on the principles of honor and integrity. It would be nice if those values were reflected in the political lives of our leaders! I have often wished that my kids could have an interview session with some of the prison inmates I work with, but I would be hesitant to allow them to do the same thing with some of our nations leaders!

              

I have come to realize that I have a fairly dogmatic view of the world. So be it. If that means that the things I believe strongly in today will be the things I believe strongly in tomorrow, then let it be so. If that means My children grow up realizing that homosexuality is a life-style choice, and not an excuse for celebrity, then so be it. If it means that I start telling smokers to keep their cancer away from me and my family, then everyone else can deal with it! 

          

This is not a political discussion, it is a moral discussion. I have not always been the most moral person in the world. I have learned from my mistakes. I have learned from failure. I ask the leaders of our country: What have YOU learned? Cigarette smoke kills more people than texting while driving and assault rifles put together, and second hand smoke is even worse. But some of our leaders smoke, and others are lining their pockets with funding from tobacco companies. Alcohol companies do the same thing, I'm sure.

                

I am not suggesting that they should be more than human, and I know we all make mistakes. I know I've made my fair share. I am suggesting that the political leaders of our nation should step forward! Be LEADERS! Be Role-models! Stop allowing our country to wallow in the degradation that is encouraged by the actions of its "Ruling Class." Be someone we can TRUST again!

                          

No, I am not so naive as to believe that any of this will change any time soon, nor do I believe that this blog post will ever have any effect on the rules of the establishment, but I feel a little better already!

Fanfare for the Common Man, by Aaron Copland

Just for you, Inklings! Everyone else can enjoy too!

My Life is Up in Smoke

 

So, for the past week, there have been numerous fires around the state, adding to the smoke coming in from California.The result has at times looked like we were half in a smoker's lounge, and half in a nuclear winter. Needless to say, I (and others) have been having difficulty breathing. It makes me wonder how smokers can even make it through a day, let alone a week, month, year, lifetime of inhaling stuff that kills people every day.

    

And then I thought of a solution--the answer is in Australia. That's right, little koalas have, in their diet the solution to some of our problems. All the government has to do is seed all those thousands of acres of wilderness with Eucalyptus trees! Then when there is a forest fire, at least we will be inhaling MENTHOLS!

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy as a ........

So one of the vocal instructors at our institution of higher education was given the boot. It was not necessarily a nice thing, and left the remaining instructor high and dry. I was sorry to see her go, because she has been a major fixture in this particular place for quite some time (longer than I've been here, for sure).

The head of the department called me up and asked if I would take up some of the slack. He has hired a new instructor, but wants to ease her into the rigors of college life slowly. I have been wondering how to make all the ends around here meet like I wish they could , so I agreed. Now, I have ten students, with the possibility that I could get one or two more by next week. I love this, but it scares me a bit. First, i have never had that many individual voice students at one time before. Second, I will not be home from 7:30 a.m. until after 8:00 p.m. four days a week. The pay is good, the job is good, the people are fantastic, and the experience will do great things for me. Unless I die from a massive coronary first, or end up in a completely different type of institution trying to lick the flowers in the wallpaper.

Wish me luck!

Master the Tempest is Raging, by Choral Responses 2009

Acceptance (H), by Choral Responses 2009

Pain
glides over her skin
like sea-birds on the breeze.
Sorrow
falls from her eyes
like drops of cleansing rain.
Love
eludes her searching grasp
like fading light of a setting sun.
She
draws me to her
like a bird to the budding blossom.
Pain
touches my inner being
as I realize I cannot save her.

Acceptance

I just saw a former student today. I was taken by the fact that now that this student is no longer in my class, I may never be able to "save " them.

I have always tried to be fair and impartial, but I find myself drawn to students who are having a hard life, and are losing the battle to keep their heads above the water, due to the circumstances of their upbringing. I am reminded of the saying that if children (esp. girls) do not get love at home they will find it wherever they can. I am also cognizant of the fact that for many youth today, love and sex are basically the same thing. It is sad to see how many girls, in a small town like ours, are buying pregnancy tests, and how many boys are spreading the disease (and not just pregnancy).

I've talked with graduating seniors who admit to having sex as 8th grade students! (Not to mention those being WITH 8th graders!) I have one former student who is (I think) a single mother dealing with addiction while trying to raise her child.

I know these things go on. I know they exist in the world, and I know that my actual influence in overcoming some of this stuff doesn't extend much beyond my own children, but this knowledge does not stop me from wanting to try. and it doesn't ease the sense of failure when I see those who are still in need.

I guess the most important thing is that I still feel the need to reach out to those who need it most, and I feel that I must try to save them while I have the opportunity. The one thing I've learned is that you can give away all your love without ever running out.

MY SUN, by Choral Responses, 1986

I used to think I owned the sun,
For every morning, at break of dawn,
It rose above its eastern shore
And shed its light upon my door.
Then every night at time of dusk
It set for me--I guest it must
Become dark enough for me to sleep.
I could think of no other reason but me.
Now I know better, now I am sure
That I don't own the sun (just the Earth).

LIFE SONGS, by Choral Responses, 2007

I may not sing your song
But I love the song you sing.
My voice may not be in tune with yours,
But I love the harmony you bring.

Your song and mine may never be sung
By anyone but you and me.
But when you don't sing out of sadness or fear,
It darkens the world I see.

So I'll sing my song with all my voice,
And I'll sing it loud and clear,
But above it all, strong and sure,
Yours is the song I'll hear.

Paging Dr. Allred....

I just returned from a trip to the University. We spent the night singing a John Rutter piece, which was quite nice, and a TON of fun. The only problem is--now I want to go back to school to work on a doctorate degree, but we can't afford that right now.

I know there are always issues, but I am still very tempted to start looking into what I would need to do before applying, and what requirements for that particular degree are. I already have more initials than I know what to to with, no matter how appropriate some of them may be: A.S., B.S., M.M.

It also bugs me that public education wants teachers to get their Masters degrees, but almost blatantly discourages Doctorates! They are too afraid teachers will complete that degree and go teach at a university somewhere. I don't necessarily want to go to a college, but I still want the degree, and an open option would still be a bit of a plus.

Just as a passing note, the director at the University has the same last name as yours truly. Great director, and a heckuva guy, too!