I Watched The World Wake Up This Morning

I watched the world wake up this morning
I watched the sun rise into the midnight sky
I sipped my coffee as I watched the world stretch and yawn
I wonder what new journey awaits me this dawn

I watched the world wake up this morning
I rolled over and kissed her on the cheek
I served her breakfast in bed, like I always do
She kissed me on the lips and said, “I Love You.”

I watched the world wake up this morning
I picked him up when his eyes opened wide
I got him ready for the day ahead
And prayed nothing would harm this child of mine

I watched the world wake up this morning
My coffee, my Bible and the best friend of mine
We watched the streets fill with yellow
As the sidewalks and the dog parks came alive

I watched the world wake up this morning
A new adventure, a hope I have not seen
I caught the news about seven a.m.
Something about the world caught up in a dream

I watched the world wake up this morning
It turned out to be a beautiful day
She met me smiling at the door when the day was through
I held her in my arms and said, “I Love You.”

I watched the world wake up this morning
From the coffee shop window I hope it’s like yesterday
My best friend is tugging at his leash
I guess its time to see what today will bring.

Your Sinister Linger

Your sinister linger chills me to the core
You’ve led me down a path I swore I’d never return
Words of slithery hope kept me alive
Actions in between opened my eyes

Your whispering tongue was poison to my mind
Forked in ruin it became my demise
Darkened, love was wilted and smothered
Having given all and all was cast away

I breach the pillows core releasing feathers upon heavens floor
They blanketed the earth like what autumn trees pour
Chasing faster after the light of air
My demise would not take hold, never leading me back there

Can you catch them all
Gather them like snowflakes in a snow fall
Can you bring them back unfettered
These feathers released into the barren wind

Nor can you take back what you’ve done or said
It took root and grew as you fanned
Blowing like feathers to the far corners of the earth
To undo what was done would take a second birth

Your sinister linger chills me to the core
You point your finger it has not the power it had before
I crash into this season breathing the air of reason
I embrace the lingering gaze that does not sway or stray

Creative Liberty is a think tank for all things random. A place where ideas can be expressed to help resolve issues, explain points of view, or gain knowledge on certain subjects. It is my privilege to join the blog world and I welcome all who are able and willing to think outside of the box, stand on the box, get in the box, or destroy the box and start over. May all ideas benefit our fellow men and women in this Republic and those beyond it’s borders who love life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The death toll of the U.S. Military fighting the war in Iraq recently reached 1800. Their lives were not lost in vain. They died defending our country, and the freedom and liberty of the Iraqi people. They are true American Heroes. I have observed Liberals and Conservatives show their disdain for the war because of all the men and women we are loosing. Liberals like to hype up their disdain by calling the men and women in the Armed Forces, “Children”, “Kids”, or “Young boys and girls.” These are young Men and Women who have chosen the profession of defending the United States from tyranny. Without getting into the statistics of lives lost in past wars (look it up yourself) there have been fewer lives lost during this war than in previous wars. My grand father was in the third wave of infantry to storm the beaches of Normandy, he stepped over hundreds of his fellow soldiers.

I am honored that our Men and Women are serving their country. There is no greater service than them laying down their lives for Liberty. When Liberty and Freedom are longed for in the hearts of men and women their lives may be called of them. This is the price of Liberty and Freedom. To call our Men and Women home because they are dieing in battle is such a defeatist attitude. Liberals are like the bullies on the playground…They rant and rave but when push comes to shove they start whining. I don’t see global warming. I do see global whining. The right you liberals have to whine and complain was purchased by blood…the price of your freedom.

If you are offended by the price of Liberty and Freedom then get the hell out of my country.

Yes, I will eat your children…What’s that? You didn’t hear me correctly, I said, “Income Tax.” Well, that is what some people hear when you say, income tax. A friend of mine thinks that TN would be better off with a flat income tax. I am going to try to explain his point of view and not “out” him in this blog…not that he would care. I do enjoy talking wth him about this issue and hearing him explain how it could work and help TN. I will try to best explain his point of view the best I can remember it…and explain how it works. Steve Gill, Uncle Phil…Forgive me, I am not convinced his plan will work. I just want to put it out here so it can either be shot down or supported…I am a former honker…still a honkey.

The first thing that would have to happen is a massive PR campaign across TN. One of the things that would have to be done first is to flip the constitution, stating that TN would do away with the sales tax. Zero Sales Tax Never Again. Then the constitution would have to be amended to have a flat income tax (percentages figured out somewhere between 5 and 8 probably) with no possible increase. Then explain how revenue is now being lost to counties that border other states with lower sales taxes. Tennesseans leave TN to buy goods in other states with lower sales taxes. I believe his exact words were…”…TN is a sieve, every year we loose money to other states, billions of dollars.” If there were no sales tax then those states would cross the border to buy goods in TN. In theory it would drive prices on goods down. So, if more states are coming into this state to buy products then that is only more revenue for TN. I asked about the lottery, should we keep it or do away with it…Well, if people are coming in and buying a lottery ticket then that is more revenue for the lottery which in turn is more monies for higher education. Even though I would do away with the lottery.

Now, here is where my memory suffers…sorry, had a migraine earlier. TN would do away with all deductibles. None, zero. Also, the income tax law would have to be written in such a way that there were no loophole deductibles. You would fill out your tax return…This is what you made and this is what you owe.

I am encouraging my friend to write out his plan instead of having me blog about it. Anywhoo…Now, I am all about fewer taxes and have been reading recently about the Fair Tax. So, it seems that the American people want fewer taxes regardless of the plan that will get them there. I would be interested in hearing what your thoughts are….Lets see what we can come up with.

Have you heard the latest in the Metro Nashville’s Public Education news? Well, here it is. School starts back for teachers this Wednesday. There are three in-service days and the students return on Monday. Metro has required all teachers to be at the Municipal Auditorium on Friday morning from 8 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Metro has hired Ruby Payne to come and speak to all the teachers about poverty. From what I can gather it is not an option to miss the in-service. Apparently, Metro has spent a lot of effort devising a way to track all teachers who enter…it has something to do with turning in a ticket for your lunch and then another ticket when you leave. Regardless, I would probably just take my lunch…but that’s neither here nor there…

What bothers me about this is Metro schedules this right when teachers need to be working in their classroom. This only gives teachers two days to set up their classrooms. You may say…what’s to really set up, wasn’t it all left there three months ago? No, the custodians have to pull everything from the classrooms and wax the floors. The furniture is put back in but not arranged. Teachers have to put everything back on the shelves and so on and so forth. New teachers to the system are overwhelmed about getting their classrooms set up and arranged. I have spoken with many teachers about this in-service day. It isn’t the in-service its self, its the timing. Metro pays teachers $100 bonus to come in before this coming Wednesday and work in their classrooms. I know teachers who have been in their classrooms every day for the past two weeks already, you do the math. So, my point here is…bad timing.

The road to the Municipal Auditorium is paved with good intentions. Metro would like to save the teachers some parking monies by having them park at the TN Fair Grounds and be bussed to the Auditorium. Nice gesture but lets be realistic. When this is over you’re telling me that Metro is going to bus 8,000 teachers back to their cars before rush hour? Heaven help you if you have to go north on I-65 at that time. I know some teachers who are going to carpool and split the difference by parking down town.

I am sure Ruby Payne has some good things to say about poverty. I can’t imagine that she can hold the attention of the teachers for eight hours…with a few breaks here and there. So, here is what I propose…to fight poverty…don’t fund expensive in-services. How much did it cost Metro to get Ruby Payne? How much will it cost for the material to be given to all the teachers? How much will it cost bussing teachers back and forth to this event? How much will it cost on Monday morning when teachers don’t have their classrooms ready to start school?

Ok, here’s what I really propose…Make this in-service day further in the year…a few weeks at that. Also, forget bussing. Make the in-service optional. However, if you do not go then you are required to watch the video of the in-service by Christmas. Just check it out from your principal. Recording it and burning it to DVD is less expensive than bussing. Also, allow the teachers a one-hour lunch break. This way they visit some local down town eateries and increase tax revenue. It’s a win, win situation.

Sometimes common sense eludes those in public office. Is this a show of power by the Metro Board of Education? Do they just want to make sure their underlings are doing something productive on Friday? I remember when Metro bought thousands of copies of The Teaching Gap and for one year every teacher had to spend time on their in-service days talking about this book. It was promoted as the next big thing…by the next year it was gone and Metro was looking for the next big thing. Oh, the book at the time cost $22…yeah, one for every teacher. That could have hired several teachers or paid for raises.

Fight Poverty…don’t fund expensive in-services.

Here is a little update on the Ruby Payne Poverty Sensitivity Training. All principals must meet at the TN fairgrounds by 6:30 a.m. Principals were told to encourage their staff to meet at the fairgrounds. Also, Principals must remain after the event for an hour to collect tickets from their staff. Tickets? Apparently, everyone will be given several tickets that they must turn in to prove their attendance.

PAY ATTENTION: THERE WILL BE A TEST
Teachers will have to go online and take a questionnaire in the weeks to follow, reflections of Payne. You better believe that questionnaire will be posted.

I will be attending this event and will try to do a live blog if there is a wireless network available. If not, then I will post later in the evening.

The Ruby Payne post was put on hold by free tickets to the Titans game. I do have priorities ya know. More to come about Ruby Payne tomorrow. And Mayor Purcells push for higher taxes.

Mayor Purcell has always seemed to me to be very laid back and soft-spoken. As he gave his speech to the teachers he became extremely passionate and loud. It was as if he were rallying the troops for battle. He praised us for our occupation. Then…Mayor Purcell asked all the teachers to vote on Sept. 12 for the tax referendum. This is a half a cent sales tax increase. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He said it would give us a pool of wealth to draw from for the children. As an educator I will not be voting for any sales tax increase. I have enjoyed Mayor Purcell’s vision for Nashville but it seem as though either he or those behind him can’t see that vision for Nashville without raising taxes. Now, my thoughts on Ruby Payne.

Ruby Payne comes across as what Hillary Clinton and Ellen DeGeneres would look like if one were pretty and the other was funny. Her deadpan humor and sarcasm was well received by the teachers and she told almost too many stories. Then again, when you have to talk for almost eight hours you better be able to hold the attention of your audience. She was able to do that.

As far as the information and statistics that she gave it seemed as though a lot of it was fluff. Fluff built around a common sense approach to dealing with children. For example: She has built a whole approach to why children in poverty disrespect their teachers. What took her thirty minutes to explain only took me a few seconds. If you, as a teacher, blow up at a child and do not seek to understand the situation then you can only expect the child to blow up at you and disrespect you. In other words…”Treat the child like you would like to be treated.” Jewish Proverb.

Overall, it was good to see other teachers that I had not seen in years. However, the common complaint was that we all wished we were in our classrooms working. I know some teachers who were going to work in their classrooms this weekend. Well, I stick to what I said in my first post about this. Common sense eludes those in charge.

I did come away from the in-service with some interesting statistics. It cost someone, probably you and I, $176,000 to put on the event. That includes Municipal Auditorium rental, breakfast, lunch, paying Ruby Payne, the packet of materials, which included a highlighter, a sticker to write your name on, a 5×6 notepad, and Mrs. Payne’s book, “A framework for Understanding Poverty,” at a cost of $22.00 US, $27.00 CAN. If there were 6,000 teachers there then that is $132,000 just for the books. I hope someone got a discount.

Since I couldn’t do a live blog from there here are some observations I wrote while in attendance.

“She admits to giving advice to others without having done research and then she did the research.”

“She does class comparison and relates how rich people look down on middle class and in turn how middle class looks down on lower class.”

“Poverty is relative to the situation you find yourself in…”

I have been extreemly busy which explains the lack of posts. Just watching Fox News and there was an explosion in a Ralph Lauren store in San Francisco. Also, I am working on two pretty large blogs one dealing with Edumakshun and the other dealing with child molesters. I have been gathering some information on the latter.

Sounds game tonight, I hope to see you all there. This is the last night of thier “Faith Night.” Look for my thoughts on the topics above starting next week.