Term is Starting Up

Well, Matt and I both go back to teaching this week. I have to confess I can't really get that excited about it. I always like it when I'm there, though, so that's a good thing.

I have to put together my syllabi this week--sooner, rather than later, since my first classes are Thursday. And we'll have the talk about plagiarism, which they will either totally forget by the end of the semester or think doesn't apply to them somehow. I feel sort of bad, every new class has to pay for the sins of the class before them...and in some cases, I'm still ticked off about those other classes.

I've got Speech and World Religions at Crowder this semester, but only once a week, not twice a week. Speech once a week means we have to get a ton done on that one night, and the class seems to move really fast. World Religions will be in a format I've never used before--flex time, which means one hour of classroom time instead of 3, and the rest of it online. I think that might be fun, though, because if they read the lectures on their own (I know that's asking a lot), then I can use the class time for video clips, music, discussion, etc. Those are all things I've wanted to do more of in religion, anyway.

Then at Drury, I have my Life and Teachings of Jesus class. I've done this twice now, and the first time, it was a great experience. I had 12 students, they asked lots of questions and we had good discussions. Last time I had 4 students who were not as much fun, energy was low, and it was hard to get any participation. I guess we'll see how it goes this time. It really is one of my favorites to teach, though.

So, Matt goes in tomorrow and I go in Thursday. Wish us luck.

Freaky Human Faced Lamb Born in Turkey

Have you seen this news story? My sweetie was trying to describe it to me before I saw it, and it was hard to imagine...therefore I am including the pic. This little guy was born dead, and he had no hair all over his body.

Some people are saying that this is what you get when a man has sex with a sheep. I'm no doctor or biologist (I mostly spent high school Biology making passes at Matt), but isn't that sort of impossible? It's clearly some kind of freakish mutation, but what are the odds that a mutation has a face like that?

Of course, you could say it's just a mutation, just a deformation like others that happen in nature, and it's only the human mind that sees shapes and calls them faces. But still...it looks a lot like a face. I wish there were more pics, but this is the only one I can find. It doesn't say what happened to the lamb.

Good People...Bad Things

And the higher anyone ascends in virtue, the harder this world will bear down on him;
for the more the love of the heart turns from the present life,
the more the opposition of this same world mounts up.

Hence it is that we see so many strive after, and do, that which is good;
yet they sweat under the burdens of their afflictions.
For though they have turned away from earthly things,
they are yet harassed with increasing tribulations.

-St. Gregory

Tough Topics Question

I think I mentioned a while back that we have these books full of thought-provoking questions. So, here's one of them:

Which would be worse? Getting caught cheating on a test or being forced to tell on a friend who cheated?

It would be worse to get caught cheating on a test.

First of all, how could someone force me to tell on someone? I can't see a teacher torturing me or something extreme like that. If I intend to keep a secret, I'll keep it.

Second, if I'm going to cheat, I hope I'd do it well. This is half my problem with the plagiarizers who come through my class. They don't even try not to get caught. They do it badly. At least take some pride in your criminal activities, people.

But most importantly, if I got caught cheating, it means I cheated. It means that I somehow became a person who would cheat. I have lost all sense of honor and honesty. I don't want that ever to be me. I don't have much that I can claim, but I have my family, a few dear friends, my faith and my honor. Anything else can be taken away, but not those. God help me if I ever choose to give any of those things away of my own accord.

A Prayer for a New Year

This prayer was written by Paul P. Bova, back in the olden days (1976):

Almighty and Eternal God, we give Thee thanks for the New Year that has just begun. We pray that we may live each day of this year with great faith, great hope, and great courage...expecting great things and attempting great things.

Help us always to live lives of hope and expectancy. Lead us into new ventures of service, as we are challenged day by day to produce our best.

God bless us, everyone. Amen.

New Year's Resolutions

I didn't really wake up cynical this morning, but as I consider writing about my New Year's Resolutions, I kind of wonder why I bother. For the most part, they're the same as last year: lose weight (because I have serious concerns about becoming diabetic, a real possibility for me)(also, I want my sweetie to think I'm pretty, even though I'm turning 40 this year), and make more money (gotta happen, I have kids starting college in 4 years).

I also want to have a more disciplined prayer life, make some repairs around the house, and finish at least one of the 4 novels I've started.

I am grateful for new beginnings, especially big ones like whole new years. I'm just discouraged that I've never actually kept a New Year's resolution.

One major thing has changed, though. I am no longer pastoring my little church (I'm still a minister, I'm just not working in a church). My sweetie and I have started a freelance writing and editing business. So, a major New Year's resolution is to make that work. We've thought it through, and I think it will work--we wouldn't have taken that step if we didn't. It's a pretty big deal to make such a huge income change, and it's a little scary, but something had to change, and this has the potential of actually going somewhere (unlike part-time teaching or part-time ministering).

So, I guess that 2010 is going to be a little different. That's a good thing. Maybe one of the differences will be that I actually reach some of the goals I've set for myself.

January Observances

Happy New Year! There are a lot of interesting observances in January; here are some of them.

Monthly

Book Blitz Month
Bread Machine Baking Month
Celebration of Life Month
Coffee Gourmet International Month
Family Fit Lifestyle Month
Financial Wellness Month
Image Improvement Month

International Business Success Resolutions Month
International Creativity Month
International Life Balance Month
International Quality of Life Month
International Wealth Mentality Month

National Be On-Purpose Month
National Cancer Prevention Month
National Clean Up Your Computer Month
National Get To Know An Independent Real Estate Broker Month
National Glaucoma Awareness Month
National High Tesh Month
National Hot Tea Month
National Lose Weight/Feel Great Month
National Mail Order Gardening Month
National Mentoring Month
National Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month
National Poverty in America Awareness Month
National Radon Action Month
National Reaching Your Potential Month
National Yours, Mine, and Ours Month

Oatmeal Month
Senior Women's Travel Month
Make A New Years Resolution to Stop Smoking Month
Walk Your Pet Month

International Year of Fresh Water Month
International Year of Rice Month

Literacy Decade: Education for All Month
Eradication of Colonialism Month



Weekly

1-7 Celebrate Life Week
1-7 Diet Resolution Week
1-7 Silent Record Week
1-8 Lose Weight Feel Great Week

2-9 Someday We'll Laugh About This Week
3-9 New Years Resolutions Week
3-9 Home Office Safety and Security Week
4-9 Women's Self-Empowerment Week
8-14 Universal Letter Writing Week

11-17 Cuckoo Dancing Week
13-16 National No Tillage Week
17-23 International Printing Week
17-23 National Handwriting Analysis Week
17-23 Healthy Weight Week
17-23 Hunt for Happiness Week
17-23 National Activity Professional Week
18-23 National Fresh Squeezed Juice Week

20-24 No Name Calling Week
23-30 National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Week
23-29 World Leprosy Week
24-30 National Nurse Anesthetists Week
25-29 National Medical Group Practice Week
25-29 National Take Back Your Time Week
1/31-2/6 Catholic Schools Week


Daily

January 1 - 24 Hours of Living Meditatively Day
January 1 — Bonza Bottler (1-1) Day
January 1 — Get a Life! Day
January 1 - New Year's Dishonor List Day
January 1 - Universal Hour of Peace
January 1 - Z Day
January 1 - National Bloody Mary Day
January 1 - Oatmeal Day
January 2 - Happy Mew Year for Cats Day
January 2 — National Cream Puff Day
January 3 — Festival of Sleep
January 3 - Fruitcake Toss Day
January 3 - Mememto Mori "Remember You Die" Day
January 3 — National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day
January 4 - Dimpled Chad Day
January 4 - National Joy Germ Day
January 4 — National Spaghetti Day
January 4 - National Trivia Day
January 5 — Bird Day
January 5 — National Bean Day
January 5 — National Whipped Cream Day
January 5 - Organize Your Home Day

January 6 — International Respect for Living Day
January 6 — National Shortbread Day
January 6 - National Smith Day
January 6 - Apple Tree Day
January 6 - National Bean Day
January 7 - I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore Day
January 7 - National Tempura Day
January 8 - Midwife's Day or Women's Day
January 8 — National Bubble Bath Day
January 8 — National English Toffee Day
January 8 — Postal Day
January 8 - Show and Tell Day at Work
January 9 — National Apricot Day
January 9 — National Static Electricity Day
January 9 - RV Workers and Workampers Day
January 10 — Volunteer Fireman's Day
January 10 - Weigh-In Day
January 10 - National Bittersweet Chocolate Day

January 11 — National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day
January 11 - National Hot Toddy Day
January 12 - National Clean Off Your Desk Day
January 12 — National Marzipan Day
January 12 - Thank God It's Monday Day
January 13 — Blame Someone Else Day
January 13 - National Peach Melba Day
January 14 — National Dress Up Your Pet Day
January 14 — National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day
January 14 - Ratification Day
January 15 - Champion of the Month Day
January 15 - Customer Service Day
January 15 - Get To Know Your Customer Day
January 15 - Humanitarian Day
January 15 — National Hat Day
January 15 — National Strawberry Ice Cream Day

January 16 — National Fig Newton Day
January 16 - National Nothing Day
January 16 - Religious Freedom Day
January 17 - Judgement Day
January 17 - Penquin Awareness Day
January 17 — Pig Day
January 17 - National Hot Buttered Rum Day
January 18 - Creole Heritage Day
January 18 — Jazz Day
January 18 — Winnie the Pooh Day
January 18 - World Religion Day
January 18-19 - Eagel Days
January 18 - National Peking Duck Day
January 19 — Archery Day
January 19 — International Sing-Out Day
January 19 — National Penguin Awareness Day
January 19 — National Popcorn Day
January 2 — National Science Fiction Day
January 20 — Basketball Day
January 20 — Home-Baked Cheese Day
January 20 - National Buttercrunch Day

January 21 — Home-Baked Granola Bar Day
January 21 - Just Do It - Make A Connection Day
January 21 - National Hugging Day
January 21 - Squirrel Appreciation Day
January 21 - International Hot & Spicy Food Day
January 21 - Rid the World of Fad Diets Day
January 22 - Answers Your Cats Questions Day
January 22 - Celebrations of Life Day
January 22 — National Blonde Brownie Day
January 22 - Women's Healthy Weight Day
January 23 — Measure Your Feet Day
January 23 - National Handwriting Day
January 23 — National Pie Day
January 23 - Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day
January 23 - National Rhubarb Pie Day
January 24 — "Just Do It" Day
January 24 — National Peanut Butter Day
January 25 - A Room of One's Own Day
January 25 — Opposite Day
January 25 - National Irish Coffee Day
January 25 - Dinner Party Day

January 26 - Better Business Communication Day
January 26 - Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day
January 26 — National Peanut Brittle Day
January 26 - Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement
January 26 - National Popcorn Day
January 27 — National Chocolate Cake Day
January 27 - National Speak Up and Succeed Day
January 27 — National Toilet Day
January 27 - Thomas Crapper Day
January 28 — National Blueberry Pancake Day
January 28 - National Compliment Day
January 28 — National Kazoo Day
January 29 - Freethinkers Day
January 29 — National Corn Chip Day
January 29 — National Puzzle Day

January 30 - Fun At Work Day
January 30 - Insane Answering Message Day
January 30 — National Croissant Day
January 31 - Inspire Your Heart with Art Day
January 31 — National Popcorn Day
January 31 - National Brandy Alexander Day