As I said when I began this blog, I don't post very often. Usually only when I have something that I want to say. I see that my last posted blog was in July of last year, 2009. Part of the reason for not writing since has been that I have been very busy as the school librarian for St. Gregory Barbarigo school here in Houma. When the school's principal learned that I had some post graduate studies in Library Science she asked if I would carefully consider revamping the Stephen Hagen Memorial Library, a small but well stocked library that has had little or no attention paid to it in many years. I jumped into the project with both feet and I can now say that it is near completion. It has been very rewarding and the school is benefiting by having a full-time librarian for it's students. I have created a working electronic card catalog of over five thousand titles and with the help of a private grant from a local foundation we now have all new computers in the library and smart board technology in all of the class rooms. Our small elementary school received SACS accreditation this year as well posting the highest SACS rating of all the schools in the archdiocese. We are definitely on an upward spiral.

My three year tenure at this school has been a great pleasure and I hope to continue there as their librarain for many years to come. Working with students that are respectful and kind is a joy for a teacher that has seen the tarnished patina of public education.

My summer vacation

MY SUMMER VACATION or THE FRIENDSHIP TOUR 2009

I know after posting what I did on my summer vacation many of my three readers will be very envious. It is not so much about where I went but more so the fact that I had no constraints on my time. I did not have to be in any one place at any given time. I was free to roam about the country and visit with many of my oldest and dearest friends from my childhood as I wished. They were all gracious enough to put me up in there homes and in many cases entertain me by either taking me canoeing (thanks Elaine) or by going out for dinner and drinks and reminiscing about things we did as kids growing up in River Ridge (Little Farms).

My first stop was in Louisville, KY and a visit with a friend from my service days in Germany back in the mid seventies. Jim Thomas was a civilian working for the Army in Heidelberg, Germany when I was a soldier also working there. We became friends and have remained so for the past thirty years. He is a gifted and intelligent being and knows not a stranger. I met many of his friends as we toured the areas around Louisville. Yes, we did Churchill Downs and the Louisville Slugger bat factory as well as a few fantastic museums. The last day of my visit we spent traveling the Bourbon trail sampling small batch bourbons along the way. What a wonderful way to start and spend the day.

My next official destination was Roanoke Virginia to visit one of the sweetest people from my past. My high school girlfriend's sister. On my way to Roanoke I made a stop in Lexington to have breakfast or brunch with my son-in-law's mother. We dined at the local Cracker Barrel. It was a very nice visit and did not put me out of my way for my next stop.

All of my visits have allowed me to catch up on what has been going on in the lives of my old friends. I wish dearly that I could say that their lives have been as blessed as my own, but the truth is they have not. That is not to say that they have not had many blessings but along with many of those blessings has come great heart ache. The fact that they have survived and come out stronger is a testament to their courage and fortitude. Elaine Mercer is a remarkable person and the kindest and most loving individual I have had the privilege to know. She did not deserve the pain she has suffered through divorce and then widowhood but what does not kill us only makes us stronger and she is a strong person. Did I mention that she is also very good looking. Truly!!

My next stop took me to Washington D.C. and a visit with my old friend Stephen Campbell. For my three devoted readers you must already know that Stephen was once married to Elaine and that marriage ended in divorce, hence the pain she suffered the greatest. High school sweethearts married for twenty plus years with three children. My what tangled webs we weave! My visit with Steve was a bit awkward because he is going through a divorce from the woman he left Elaine for. Their marriage lasted twelve years an produced one son. My prayers for them are that they come away from this not as bitter enemies for this would only harm the one they both love, Jack. He is a great kid and destine for great things if his parents allow it to happen.

Because I was not committed to too many set tours I was able to roam around Washington freely. This allowed me to visit all of the museums I wanted to visit as well as the memorable places of interest to me. Holocaust Museum, Vietnam Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, Folgers Shakespeare Museum, National Cathedral, US Capitol, US Botanical Gardens, several Smithsonian Museums and most of all The Library of Congress. What a great week. Steve and I went out to dinner a few times but of course without his soon to be ex wife. On my last day in Washington I drove up to Gettysburg, PA. To a Civil War historian or just a Civil War buff this place is the Holy Grail. It was the turning point of the war and the truth be told we, the South, almost pulled it out. The battle wa a close one but the out come of the war was inevitable. I chose the CD audio tour and it was excellent. As I approached each numbered stop a Civil War historian explained exactly what took place on that spot and when it took place. It was storytelling at its finest. Oh, what a day I had! I spent my last night in Washington with Steve at his newly acquired, unfurnished apartment. Like the Corleone family in The Godfather, we took to the matresses, inflatable that is. Note to Stephen: The poison of hatred only poisons the one it resides within. God bless you Stephen.

The last stop on this vacation I have come to refer to as the Friendship Tour of 2009 is in Atlanta, Ga. and visit with my numero uno running mate from my youth: Richard Campbell, younger brother to Stephen Campbell. Richard's life has also been shaped by numerous divorces but he seems none the worse for wear. In fact, Richard looks great, by that I mean very healthy. If that masks some mental health I can not tell because he seems to be in fine spirits. He is in a relationship with a very interesting and lovely looking lady, Natalya. Richard was off of work both Sunday and Manday and we spent all of that time todether catching up. As a bonus to this visit I also was able to visit with the Campbell's baby sister, Kaye. She, too, looks great and seems to be enjoying life after divorce. God bless them all and I hope to have them all as my guest one day in Thibodaux. I have offered invitations to everyone who was so good to me on my trip. I hope they all take me up on my offers one day.

The downside to this entire trip was that I had to make it alone. I am lucky in that I enjoy my wife's company when we travel. She was not able to make this trip due to her obligation to teach a summer course at the university. Some people see that as been lucky but I disagree, although she probably would not have enjoyed some of the places I visited, especially Gettysburg because she is not a history lover as I am. The only good thing about being apart for so long is the returning home and knowing you were missed by someone other than the dog. It was obvious when I came through the door that my dog missed me as well.

It's great to be back home. I feel sorry for anyone who can not say that after been away for awhile. God bless all of the friends that made my trip so memorable. Lets do it again someday.

DO WE HAVE A REASON TO BE NERVOUS?

Today marks 100 days since Barack Obama took the oath of office. During this time, he has:
Proposed the largest budget in U.S. history;
Suggested $1.4 trillion in new taxes over the next decade;
Released highly confidential CIA memos detailing strategies used that produced timely intelligence and thwarted further deadly terrorist attacks;
Proposed cutting missile defense by $1.4 billion just days after North Korea tested a long-range missile.

Now, I am all for giving this guy a chance but only because there is absolutely nothing we can do otherwise. Our only option does not play out until the year 2012 when we can elect someone who we think might be capable of cleaning up any mess created by the dastardly duo of a Democratic president and a Democratic Congress.

Is there such a person on the Republican horizon? Someone cut from the same cloth say as a young Ronald Reagan. Let's hope there is someone out there who still remembers what capitalism means and the important role it played in creating the one and only real super power left on this earth. Someone who can show this president the proper way to grow an economy without bleeding the middle class of people that made this country what it is today. Please somebody, HELPPPPPPP!!!

And another thing. With as much happening around the world to occupy our presidents attention how is this president has the time to monkey around with the NCAA football playoffs. And what idiot would dare to get Congress involve in such an action. Congress collectively couldn't blow it nose if brains were dynamite. When has Congress ever made improvements to anything once they got involved. God help us and the NCAA.

Well, As the end of the school year draws near it is time to start thinking about what I want to do with my summer. Some things are already predetermined. I will be going to my daughter's, Erin, graduation from the Dallas Art Institute sometimes in June. That should be a weekend affair with partying with friends and family. It's what to do after that that is in question. My plans are to make a wide circle across the mid and southeastern United States visiting with friends along the way. If these plans come to fruition my first stop will be Louisville, KY to visit my old friend Jim Thomas of USAEUR & 7th Army fame. We were stationed together in Heidelberg, Germany in the early 1970's and have kept in touch ever sense. My eventual goal for this trip is to visit Washington, D.C. for a back stage pass to the Library of Congress. This I am working on with the director of the library here. A quick stop in Roanke, VA to visit another friend I have not seen in forever but reconnected with this year via the internet. After Washington, if time and money permit, I will travel north to the hallowed grounds of Gettysburg. I have always wanted to go there, so this may be my chance. My return trip will take me through Atlanta, GA for a visit with my best friend from my childhood years, Richard Campbell. As I proceed back toward home I will also make a stop in Huntsville, AL to try and locate a long, missing friend that no one has seen in many years.

These plans are all just tenative based on whatever the future holds but they are my plans none the less.

Wish me luck on accomplishing all that I hope to do this summer.

CFS

A Sad Inheritance

Here is an article reprinted from a recent copy of The National Review. It is a very sad commentary on the position we have left our children in and their children, with. It saddens me to think that these young people are going to have to pay for the sins of the citizens who refuse to take the responsibility of helping and not bleeding our government for monetary handouts that they have not earned.

The Brokest Generation Our kids are the ultimate credit market, and the rest of us are all pre-approved! By Mark Steyn

Just between you, me, and the old, the late middle-aged, and the early middle-aged: Isn’t it terrific to be able to stick it to the young? I mean, imagine how bad all this economic-type stuff would be if our kids and grandkids hadn’t offered to pick up the tab.Well, okay, they didn’t exactly “offer” but they did stand around behind Barack Obama at all those campaign rallies helping him look dynamic and telegenic and earnestly chanting hopey-hopey-changey-changey. And “Yes, we can!” Which is a pretty open-ended commitment.

Are you sure you young folks will be able to pay off this massive Mount Spendmore of multi-trillion-dollar debts we’ve piled up on you?“Yes, we can!”We thought you’d say that! God bless the youth of America! We of the Greatest Generation, the Boomers, and Generation X salute you, the plucky members of the Brokest Generation, the Gloomers, and Generation Y, as in “Why the hell did you old coots do this to us?”Because, as politicians like to say, it’s about “the future of all our children.” And the future of all our children is that they’ll be paying off the past of all their grandparents. At 12 percent of GDP, this year’s deficit is the highest since the Second World War, and prioritizes not economic vitality but massive expansion of government. But hey, it’s not our problem. As Lord Keynes observed, “In the long run we’re all dead.” Well, most of us will be. But not you youngsters, not for a while. So we’ve figured it out: You’re the ultimate credit market, and the rest of us are all pre-approved!The Bailout and the TARP and the Stimulus and the Multi-Trillion Budget and TARP 2 and Stimulus 2 and TARP And Stimulus Meet Frankenstein and the Wolf Man are like the old Saturday-morning cliffhanger serials your grandpa used to enjoy. But now he doesn’t have to grab his walker and totter down to the Rialto, because he can just switch on the news and every week there’s his plucky little hero Big Government facing the same old crisis: Why, there’s yet another exciting spending bill with twelve zeroes on the end, but unfortunately there seems to be some question about whether they have the votes to pass it. Oh, no! And then, just as the fate of another gazillion dollars of pork and waste hangs in the balance, Arlen Specter or one of those lady-senators from Maine dashes to the cliff edge and gives a helping hand, and phew, this week’s spendapalooza sails through. But don’t worry, there’ll be another exciting episode of Trillion-Buck Rogers of the 21st Century next week!This is the biggest generational transfer of wealth in the history of the world. If you’re an 18-year old middle-class hopeychanger, look at the way your parents and grandparents live: It’s not going to be like that for you. You’re going to have a smaller house, and a smaller car — if not a basement flat and a bus ticket. You didn’t get us into this catastrophe. But you’re going to be stuck with the tab, just like the Germans got stuck with paying reparations for the catastrophe of the First World War. True, the Germans were actually in the war, whereas in the current crisis you guys were just goofing around at school, dozing through Diversity Studies and hoping to ace Anger Management class. But tough. That’s the way it goes.I had the pleasure of talking to the students of Hillsdale College last week, and endeavored to explain what it is they’re being lined up for in a 21st-century America of more government, more regulation, less opportunity, and less prosperity: When you come to take your seat at the American table (to use another phrase politicians are fond of), you’ll find the geezers, boomers, and X-ers have all gone to the men’s room, and you’re the only one sitting there when the waiter presents the check. That’s you: Generation Checks.The Teleprompter Kid says not to worry: His budget numbers are based on projections that the economy will decline 1.2 percent this year and then grow 4 percent every year thereafter. Do you believe that? In fact, does he believe that? This is the guy who keeps telling us this is the worst economic crisis in 70 years, and it turns out it’s just a 1 percent decline for a couple more months and then party-time resumes? And, come to that, wasn’t there a (notably unprojected) 6.2 percent drop in GDP just in the last quarter of 2008?Whatever. Growth may be lower than projected, but who’s to say all those new programs, agencies, entitlements, and other boondoggles won’t also turn out to cost less than anticipated? Might as well be optimistic, right?

It's time to move on!

So far I have not met a single person among my friends and acquaintances that say they voted for the current President. And I will admit I did not vote for the man either. But yet there he sits firmly ensconced in the White House with the secure knowledge that anything he asks for is liable to be granted to him by the majority Democratic congress. I am also not very pleased with the direction he is taking this country in by increasing the debt through major spending campaigns designed to redistribute the wealth generated by hard working American citizens. I feel he is creating an ever widening rift between those citizens who would rather wait for the government to provide them with what they need as opposed to those individuals willing to get up each day and work for a pay check.

But the true of the matters is, it’s a done deal. Unless we a willing to engage in a violent revolution designed to overthrow the government (and I am not) we have to get over the inevitable and begin working toward electing a different president in four years. What’s done is done, now it’s time to move forward, albeit a more difficult struggle. If this president can turn around this ailing economy and make good on all of the promises he has made with his rhetoric of hope and change, then and only then will I ever consider giving him a second term as president. GOOD LUCK, MR. PRESIDENT and GOD BLESS.

HOW DO WE GET THE GENIE BACK INTO THE BOTTLE?

This message is coming to you from a middle school teacher who is very concerned about the deteriorating condition of public education in this country. As we continue to fall behind in the standings of other civilized countries of the world, in terms of educating our youth, it would seem that the reasons are glaringly visible. Parents of students no longer view a solid education as the path to a better life and they have stopped considering education a privilege and see it now as a birth right. The presidential program “NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND” has created an atmosphere that all children, no matter how disruptive, have a right to remain in the classroom. Principals and teachers alike have allowed discipline to slip from their grasp for fear that they might offend or upset the powers that be and thus cause themselves to come under scrutiny for their inability to comply with the law of the land.
I recently wrote a lengthy letter to the Obama transition team detailing these problems as I see them and I requested that he revisit the current legislation that has become a road block to achievement. There are a multitude of children in the public system only because their parents cannot afford a private education for them. Many of these students have a burning desire to do well and excel in school but are handicapped by those disruptive students whose only goal in life is to be seen as a bad example. They complicate matters by causing young, first term, teachers to rethink whether the career field they have chosen was such a good idea. We are losing these teachers at an alarming rate, so what is to become of the system when the experienced teachers chose retirement. The chasm will by that time be one that we cannot bridge and the downward spiral into mediocrity will continue.
In my letter to Mr. Obama’s advisors I suggested that we bring back or put greater emphasis on a trade school education for students that continue to flaunt the school systems inability to control them. This approach might give some of them a dose of reality that may well bring them into line. If this fails to impress upon them the value of education and they continue to act like the thugs they so idolize then let them try to make a living without the benefit of any education.
It’s time we recaptured our role as educators instead of babysitters.