America, Miscreants, Rant

The following will become a rant.  I hope that there will be something in the words that will be helpful to those few that read what I write.

I've been thinking about the future lately. The future for me, for my family, for my children, for the students I teach and for America.  My brain has become a melting pot of what I've been reading, what I'm seeing reported on TV and radio (while speculating what isn't being reported.) and conversations with others. I try to get opinions from all sides.  I listen to sides I usually disagree with as well as those I expect to have the same ideas.  I really try to find those that are really thinking about a subject rather than reacting and bellowing for effect.  The President's speech last Friday for the first time in recent memory had some substance that I could get behind.  I don't expect much usually, but I respect the office and Mr. Obama is our leader at this time.  Bill O'Reilly had some ideas on a recent Talking Point segment about race relations.  Two opposite sources, but both had some good thoughts. With all that muddling around, I have been a bit befuddled about what to do and say. Last night something happened that has changed that.

Our Army son and his girlfriend have driven across the country visiting and sightseeing.  They spent part of the last week with us and yesterday started home by going to San Francisco. While at a Giants game the car was broken into and their backpacks with phones, computers and other personal items were stolen.  I haven't talked to him yet, but I've been wondering what I am going to say. These are two young people that have lived their lives for good and earned their way to where they are.  She just recently graduated from college and is going this fall to get a masters degree in biology before starting medical school. Our son completed two years of college before joining the Army.  He was deployed to Haiti and Iraq during his service.  He will shortly be honorably discharged and restart school to finish his degree.  What does a person say to console someone that has tried to live a good life when some miscreant steals what they have earned?

This has led me to some ideas that America needs to implement, NOW. Now if America really wants to save itself.  If America, it's leaders or you don't care, then ignore the rest of this and reap the results.

#1-Find a belief in a superior being, God. You get to study and chose the belief. Study and learn about that being.  Don't let religion get in the way of your belief.  People have done many horrible things in the name of religion. That is not the fault of the superior being; that is human error.

#2-Be responsible for your actions and words.  Do what you say you're going to do to the best of your abilities.  If you do good, be humble.  If you do bad, repair the damage.  Leave as little negative impact on the world as you can, while doing as much good as you can.

#3-Work at something.  Yes, get a job. Any job.  I know that jobs are hard to find, but they are there. McDonalds and farm labor are not beneath you. Through tough, hard jobs I learned many valuable lessons.  Cleaning a ditch in 100 degree summer heat will make a boring college teacher seem tame.

#4-Live on what you earn.  That means you may not have a new car, heck you may not have a car period.  Don't buy into the hype on the TV.  Those are ads meant to make you want something even when you don't need it. Learn the difference between want and need.

#5-Don't expect others to help.  Our government currently is keeping people down by giving them too many incentives not to follow Rules 2,3 and 4 from above.  Detroit is a perfect example of this.  Do a search and compare Detroit and Hiroshima from 1945 to today.

#6-Do what Dr. King suggested, judge a person by the content of their character not the color of their skin.  If we did that one action, where would race relations be today?  If a person does wrong, punish them.  Hold them responsible.  Praise the good in people.  Are we Americans, or must we live lives with other descriptors attached to American?

#7-Love others and help others.  Look outward and try not to focus on yourself.  This is our ideal that will help blunt the problems of # 5.  Tough love is needed sometimes, but don't lose the compassion for those less fortunate.  Pick someone up, heal them and send them on their way.  This is different than taking away all incentive to get better.

What is Important To You?

I've been thinking about things that are important as we have thoughts about making changes.  Reading the books Quiet and The Tipping Point have made for some good conversations in this realm.  It seems strange that I've reached my 5th decade and I'm still thinking about what I want to do.  More precisely, what do you do when you have done what you set out to do?  You know, your answer when the teacher asks you, "What are you going to do when you grow up?"  I've been the English teacher and baseball coach I set out to be.  So what now?  So I'm still asking the question.

As I read and watch TV I think about what is entering my brain, especially in relation to what I have been thinking. I've recently got hooked on a show that is popular now.  It appears like fluff and the drama shown is sometimes contrived.  But it hit me recently as I read this article by DW Ulsterman in the Ulsterman Report, there is more to this show than I thought.  Going back to the question in the title,  what is important?  Family, honesty, concern for others, faith in something bigger than yourself. All important and all shown by example on this show.  All ideals that are important regardless of what a person does.  So what is this show?  Duck Dynasty.

It's worth watching. And I love the beards.

Wisdom From Two Continents

The journey is better than the inn.

Miguel de Cervantes

Make each day of your journey a masterpiece.

John Wooden

Just finished The Essential Wooden: A Lifetime on Lessons on Leaders and Leadership by John Wooden and Steve Jamison.  It's bits and pieces of Wooden's wisdom and maxims he has collected and used.  These two standout to me, and Wooden closes the book with them.

What I Did on Part of My Vacation

 West and South Elevations

 East Elevation with ramp

North Elevation

Last week I took Amtrak North to Mt. Veeder and the Derrs.  My trip was to see family and build a chicken coop.  The basics of the coop are done, but a few details are needed to finish.  Doors on for the outside entrance of the nesting boxes, the clean out door and the ramp door will make the coop weather tight from below.  The roof needs some kind of covering, probably metal or roll roofing.

There were few design parameters given so I wanted to try a few things I'd never done before. I needed to have wheelchair access to the nesting boxes for Maya, so the boxes will have doors that are outside the fencing very similar to our coop.  The reality is this will be better for everyone.  There is a bit of wind so I wanted a hip style roof to protect from the west.  The winglike triangular east section of the roof is to help the wind move along, but mostly for the feed to hang and be protected from wind and rain. Each different viewing angle gives a different impression of what the roof was styled after.  I'm no architect, but one side reminds me of a pagoda while others vaguely look like the fins of a '64 Cadillac.

The biggest design element was from my cheap ways.  I was given free reign to use anything from the farm woodpile.  All of the lumber and plywood came from leftovers and unused scraps.  So it became a bit of a challenge to make things work with what was available. If you look closely at he first two pictures you'll see that three of the sides are sheathed with lined T-111 ply.  The ramp wall is another kind of plywood.  Closer inspection will show two walls are pieced together like a puzzle with triangle and funny shaped scraps of plywood.  It became a wonderful goal to make everything fit together.

Other tidbits include not using a tape measure. I couldn't find one and on my one trip to the hardware store I forgot about needing one.  Total material cost at this point is about $15 for some boxes of nails and few Strongtie brackets.  I have some hinges needing a new home that I will use for the doors. I also have some roofing felt to go under the roofing of choice.

It was a wonderful trip overall.  I got to help the Lampyridae Vineyard Chicken Project. I ate beyond well and drank some Napa Valley grape juice.  I did some things in a new place, met new people and learned new things. Most importantly,  I spent time with family I adore.