HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Today is Meg's birthday!  (This is the part when everybody cheers.)

Perhaps I should tell everyone about my wife.  That's a picture of us at a friend's wedding in Jamaica.  She's the hot one in front of the not-so-closet-case nerd.

Megan is an amazing woman  How else do you describe someone who daily has to put up with three immature boys (Nate, Sam, and me)?  I can barely survive 6 hours with Nate and Sam, and I'm not trying to do a dozen things in addition.  Basically I should go out and buy her a super hero cape.  Or at least a waffle cone.*

What amazes me is that throughout all the hardship of the last 5 years, Meg has stuck by me.  Of course there have been time we have both wanted to run away, sometime together.  She is stubborn, and most of the time that is a good thing.  She hasn't given up.  Not on me, or our family.  Nor has she given up on herself.  She keeps pushing herself to be better.  Whether that is by training to run a 5k, "debating" me on theology, or researching the various requirements for different educational opportunities available.

I could not be more proud of her for all she has done and continues to do.  I am constantly amazed by her.  And that is the answer to her constant question.  You see, I tell her "I love your," and she will ask "why?"  But that's why.  I want to love her, to care for her and be where she is so that I can be amazed.

So, dear beautiful wife of mine who I adore, I love you, and thank you for being born.  Happy Birthday!

* Inside joke.

More evidence that US education is screwed up

Read this: Stupid History Teacher

This teacher is a complete idiot.  She said that you cannot "slander" the president or you will be arrested.  So, how is it that talk show hosts and news anchors of syndicated networks avoid that.  8 years of bashing Bush lead to no arrests.  And even if someone was arrested, they would be read their rights, unless charged with terrorism.  Why?  Because that makes them enemy combatants outside a combat zone, and therefore not under the protection of any nation or treaty.

We, as citizens, have the right to criticize the president.  We should refrain from disrespecting him and the office, but disrespect is not illegal.  What is illegal is threatening the president's life.  Saying Obama is the second worst president in US history and a socialist who is the cause of our current economic woes is not arrest worthy.  It's my opinion of he man Barack Obama, who happens to be the current president.

So here's my question: when did criticism become synonymous with disrespect?

Today's rant: Exxon-Mobile commercial

Hey y'all, been a while.  Like kinda snuck up and, well, I just haven't had anything really to say.

(Well, except that I have an awesome wife, but that goes without saying.)

But here is what's been bugging me for a few days.  Exxon-Mobile has a commercial out reminding everyone that the US is #17 on an international list of "Best Math and Science scores."  So, E-M is working to gain support for teachers, specifically those in the aforementioned fields.  And I don't like it.

Seventeen out of 200 nations.  That's not bad.  Actually that's really good.  That would be a 91% on a report card.  If I get a student moaning about how "horrible" that score is I would be tempted to laugh at them and say they may not have their priorities straight.

Which I feel is our problem in this nation.  We have great math and science programs.  But our history seems to be lacking.  There are a lot of people (including some politicians) who apparently don't know what type of government the United States has.*    How do we survive as a nation with a voting population that is so inept?  That is why I am going to be a history teacher.  My goal is to be "the most dangerous history teacher in November."  In other words: my (future) US Government students will not the the stereotypical ideological "deer in the headlights" voters.  They won't take any political BS or spin.

So, to bring this rant to a close: when is Exxon-Mobile gonna send funding for the real backbone of US society: history teachers?

* If you think you know what type of government we as a nation has, take the poll over on the right.  I'll post results in two weeks.

Rest Well

Recently one of the poems I wrote was published in an annual anthology at school.  (Wow, four word alliteration.)  I had submitted three poems and a piece of a story I'm working on.  Now, I don't write poetry too often, but mostly because I prefer to write narratives.  But, sometimes I just need to vent literarily, and poetry is a good an outlet.  Perhaps that is why only one was selected.  Since it is just me and my feelings, the form is rough.  Not like the "pretty" poems that made it in the booklet.  Which, I'll admit, there were only 3 or 4 good poems in the whole thing.  And they didn't make sense.  They didn't tell a story, convey an emotion, or paint a mental picture.  They were just a scrambling of "word vomit."

The poem I submitted was written last September.  And recently, I was playing around with the movie making program on my laptop, and used it as a "test."  It turned out better than I hoped.  I posted it a while ago on Facebook, but I'll post it again here, so that more people can read it.

Enjoy.

(Background music: "Remember Me" from the album "Illusions" by Thomas Bergersen)

Introducing!

(drum roll please)

Samuel Whittaker Baumann!

Sam swimming in his first picture.

Born March 7 at 5:15 p.m., measuring 7 pounds 15 ounces and 21 inches long.

Here he is at less than 1 hour old.

He's so adorable.  And his awesome mom is so beautiful.  (Love you Meg!)

The ladies just love a guy with a tan.

However, like his brother, Sam was a jaundiced.  So he spent some time pretending to be a space alien. That sun bed was painfully bright, but it worked.  In fact it worked so well that the nurse was amazed at how quickly he gained the right color.  Actually, everything about Sam has seemed really quick.

Including playing the "air ukulele" and turning around.  Yes, that's right, at just under two months old he was picking his head up while laying on his stomach.  And he tries to scoot forward.  The farthest I've seen him go is almost half a foot.  He's pretty good at rotating around, getting a full right or left handed turn, though usually left.  I don't know why that is.  Maybe he's left handed.

Some quality time with dad.

Whatever, he's adorable.  And we love him very much.  Welcome to the family Sam!

Tonight on "Top Shot..."

One of the most dangerous things on earth: a military enthusiast holding a shotgun and no idea what the heck he's doing.

Hey all, wanted to post this really quick for a few reasons.
1- I haven't yet posted any pictures and I though now was a good time to "test" it.
2- I haven't posted since Saturday.
3- I got to go shooting today.
I have never fired a gun before.  And, no, Nerf and BB guns do not count.  So my friend Tim invites me out to try my hand at shotguns.  Now, I like history, especially if that history is involving the military.  So my opinion on shotguns is so-so.  Lots of kick to make a handful of little holes; doesn't really sound like fun to me.
Boy was I wrong.  We head out to his in-law's farm and "blast" things in their burn pile.  First victim is an old door.  I'm given a 20 gauge (seen in pic) and I go all out.  There's already a couple of holes in it, which I kindly widen.  So much so that the door looks like it is being cut in half.  I also take off the door knob, and try to blast a hinge off.  Next up is a television, which gets both the 20 gauge, and a 12 gauge.  I don't think we can fix it.  Finally we try to destroy an empty helium tank, but all we do it make hundreds of tiny dents.
But it was fun.  And worth the slightly sore shoulder.  I didn't even bruise (darn).

Done?

Its been a long day.
Correction, its been a long year.  I feel drained.  Dead.  Flat.  I've spend so long fighting to prove myself, and now I have.  This morning I was standing in a group of almost 600 waiting to wait.  Waiting to sit in a crowded and stuffy gymnasium and wait our turn to receive a piece of paper that validates our hard work.  Well, for me it was three pieces of paper.  As with many of my peers, I walked twenty feet across a stages to receive a Bachelors of Science in Education, specifically a Lutheran Teacher's Diploma, with an emphasis in Theology and History.  And if that wasn't enough, I got a Bachelors of Science in Theology, too.
No more going to classes.  No more papers to write.  No more pulling hair out trying to get things at the library/registrar/computer lab set up.  I am done with the traditional education experience.  I have graduated.
So, I'm done now, right?

Yeah, right.  I've just barely scratched the surface of my learning.  I'm still in "limbo" regarding my future classroom.  And this adventure known as being a husband and father has only just begun, and is starting to get really interesting.  As if it wasn't already.

Well, this stage of life has come to a close.  Its been fun, but it has been a struggle.  And I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Per ardua ad astra!

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...

... a young boy sat on the worn blue-gray carpet of the living room.  All about him were strewn the remains of a make-believe battle.  On the television screen before him were images that would inspire him for decades to come.

That boy was me, and the movie on the television was Star Wars.  I can't help but get a little nostalgic when I hear the opening theme.  And I am a little jealous at those "weirdos" who spend so much time and money making replica costumes and attending conventions.  I'll admit it, it would be fun.  Especially since it is thanks to Star Wars that I started writing.

In 1999 a new Star Wars novel was published.  Now, I had read all the Star Wars books in the school library by that point, and a number at the public library.  So, when this new book came out I pounced on it.  Maybe that's why I didn't do so well in 7th grade math...

Anyway, the book that got me hooked on storytelling was Vector Prime, the first in the "New Jedi Order" series.  Immediately I start doing what any self-respecting 12 year old boy would do: daydream.  I tried to figure out how could I make a story to fit into George Lucas' playground.  Well, being a fan of World War II aviation, I tried to take that route, combining it with bits gleaned from various sci fi and fantasy "bits" I had been exposed to.  I got to high school, and found opportunities to write, mostly at the expense of English free-writing time.  I wound up filling a composition book with fiction, so much that I needed a second.  And that one I filled half way.  (Most of my fellow students barely got a quarter of the way through.)  This "manuscript" was practice in how to create characters and plots and actually get them to work.  Well, the "New Jedi Order" continued on without me, and when I got to the end I realized that I couldn't simply insert myself into an already ongoing story line.

But I also realized that my interest in fiction exceeded Star Wars.  It was in 7th grade that I read The Hobbit for the first time.  I have read it twice since then, and cannot wait until the movie arrives.  I also branched out, starting with two Star Wars authors that I knew: R. A. Salvatore and Timothy Zahn.  The former wrote about a half dozen fantasy novels that I rather enjoyed, and was inspired to change his college major based on reading Tolkien.  I am not quite that dedicated.  The latter author has written a number of sci fi books, one of which (Icarus Hunt) I am trying to find a copy of.  After moving down to Seward, I got a Barnes and Noble card, which may be one of the best investments ever.  I have now read numerous books that have helped "break" me of my Star Wars habit.  These range from fantasy, to sci fi, to steampunk, to a strange mix of fantasy and mystery.  Like my taste in music, my choices of fiction has become more eclectic.

All of this has inspired me in my own writing.  I have roughly a dozen developed story ideas, and another half dozen still in the "growing" process.  Some are a little heavy on the "fantasy" side, while others are very much science fiction.  I have a few, though, that are a little more "normal," well, as normal as you can get when it comes to my imagination.

I'm debating on posting bits of my work, but after my "Big E rant," I hesitate to put so many words online again.  (Which makes me a hypocrite, since that's what I'm doing right now.)  Maybe if I get enough feedback I'll post something.  Whatever.  I'm just amazed at how far I've gotten since picking up my first Star Wars book.

Happy reading, and May the Fourth be with you.

No fear!

So, here's the last devotion I wrote for student teaching.  I was trying to make a point for the 8th graders, but mostly it was for me.  Selfish, I know, but I wanted not only to end strong but I wanted to remind myself of this simple fact: God is with me no matter what, so don't be afraid.

Deuteronomy 31:8
“The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

God tends to repeat Himself.  A lot.  Part of that is because we, His people, tend to do a really good job at not listening.  Whether it’s some encouragement or reminder of the rules, it doesn’t matter; we universally ignore our Creator.
That’s why there are so many verses and themes in the Bible that sound somewhat similar.  The sentiment “be strong and courageous” is one of these.  Over the last few weeks, we’ve heard Deuteronomy 31:6, and John 16:33, not to mention a passing acknowledgment of Joshua 1:6.  But here’s one that slips through our theological nets.
Moses is getting ready to pass the proverbial baton to his “sidekick” Joshua.  He has the leaders of Israel, as well as the whole nation, listen to a final “pep talk” before they embark on a mission of reclaiming their inheritance.
But the 120-something year old leader remembers when they sent spies into the Promised Land.  Most came back too scared to go back in and fight.  Now, forty years later, the children of that generation are staring into the unknown and untamed wilderness of Canaan.  They remember the stories their parents and grandparents told them, and, most likely, they are terrified.  Terrified of impregnable walled cities.  Terrified of 9 foot tall giant warriors.  Terrified of armies equipped with the most advanced technology of the day.
God, through Moses, reminds them that He is with them.  This last verse in the section is kind of a recap.  Basically “God is with you,” “don’t be scared,” and “don’t be discouraged.”  But aren’t those last two the same?
No.  Being scared is to be frightened of something that seems more powerful than yourself.  The cause of the emotion is outside yourself.  Being discouraged is to lose confidence in your abilities.  This cause is internal, and likely for most of us it is the harder one to vanquish.
But that is what God calls us to do.  He asks, no, implores and commands, us to be “strong and courageous”.  We are not to be discouraged for any reason.  Why?  Because God goes before us, clearing our path so that there is nothing to frighten us or cause us to despair.
That is why “do not be discouraged” is the last in the verse.  It will become quite obvious for the Israelites that God is powerful enough to eliminate that which stands in their way.  What is not so certain is whether God can and will eliminate the feelings of inadequacy.
To be rid of our trials, our “giants,” God may simply remove them completely, or He may place us in such a way that, with His help, we can eliminate them ourselves.  Dealing with despair, though, requires ourselves to act.  We have to let go of that which is weighing us down.  We have to turn it over to God, the only one who can bear our burdens.
Because we have someone who can carry our burdens, we have no reason to be discouraged.  We know that Jesus Christ bore every lie that was ever and will ever be told in an attempt to discourage us for loving and serving God fully.  So why are we still walking around with our heads hanging and our shoulders drooped?  Why are we hanging onto our discouragements?  Cast them on God and go out to do His work while we still have time.

Father Almighty,
Too often we allow the world around us to discourage and terrify us, and we selfishly hang onto that which seeks to destroy us.  Give us the strength to let go and place all out sorrows, struggles, and burdens on Your Son, the only one who could bear them.  Give us a spirit of courage and strength to live our lives to Your Glory.
Amen